


The Secret Crown

by MissBinx



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Regency, Ben is not a virgin, Ben uses a brothel, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, HEA, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Omega Verse, Period-Typical Sexism, Rey is a virgin, happily ever after (eventually)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-20
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:34:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 29,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25395454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissBinx/pseuds/MissBinx
Summary: When the Alpha Marquess of Bristol, Ben Solo, makes a sudden return to England for the season, his plan is to exact revenge on all who had betrayed him. There's instant attraction the moment Ben meets Omega Rachel Kenobi, but finding a soulmate was not part of the plan, even one who fits in so perfectly with his diabolical retribution.The Regency Omegaverse AU that no one asked for!*indefinite hiatus*
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 206
Kudos: 466





	1. Alpha and Omega Meet

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, welcome to my newest story! This will be a historical A/B/O fic, so if you're here because you subscribed to me and omegaverse isn't your thing, I do have other stories in the works that will be released in the coming days so hold on!
> 
> Please enjoy (and go easy on me because this is my first abo and my first Regency fic!)

He was used to the whispers, they had followed him around his entire life -- whispers about his family, his temper,  _ him _ . He’d heard the whispers of his parents in their hushed arguments of what to do with him as he’d eavesdropped from behind closed doors. The whispers of fear and pity from servants as he wandered the halls of his family’s estate. Whispers from the lips of strangers and acquaintances alike, and never in a pleasant or sympathetic manner. 

Those whispers had only increased in fervor since he’d returned to London for the Season for the first time in over seven years.

What Ben Solo wasn’t used to, however, was not being on the topic of the whispers. That esteemed privilege went to the newest Omega member of the ton. “Who is the girl?” Ben asked, leaning over to where his good friend Hux was taking a glass of wine from the tray of a passing servant.

“Word has it that she is the daughter of Benjamin Kenobi,” Hux took a sip of his wine, sparing only a glance in the direction of the subject of their conversation.

Ben raised an eyebrow at this piece of information. “I was not aware The Earl of Pembroke had a daughter.” The earl was a good friend of the family -- in fact Ben’s mother had named him after the old man. He’d spent several summers during his childhood in Pembrokeshire, some of the more pleasant memories he’d had, and as far as he knew, the older man had never had a wife, let alone a child.

The truth was that Ben had been watching the young woman for longer than he’d like to admit. He hadn’t been able to take his eyes off her from the moment he’d stepped into the room and caught her scent -- wild violets and sea salt and  _ sex _ . He’d smelled omegas before and while they’d smelled good, none had smelled so intoxicating that he’d had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep his eyes from rolling back in his head.

As soon as he’d caught the scent, he scanned the ballroom and when his eyes finally landed on the source of the smell, a beautiful young omega in an embroidered cream dress with short bishop sleeves that showed off her lean arms and an empire waist that drew attention to her modest bosom. Her hair was pulled up into a Psyche knot, ringlet curls against her temples and Ben found that he couldn’t help but let his eyes linger inappropriately on the pink gland at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. He licked his lips.

He’d blocked out many memories from his childhood, but he knew he wouldn’t forget a smile as lovely or a scent as sweet as the supposed daughter of the Earl of Pembroke. 

“Omega?” he asked Hux, dragging his eyes away from her once more to focus on the conversation.

“Naturally,” Hux said, casting Ben a look as he finally caught on to his friend’s interest. “Though the bloodline is impure.” Ben’s head turned sharply and Hux continued, “I have heard that she is the result of Lord Pembroke’s rut with a beta chambermaid.”

Ben’s nose wrinkled, not in distaste of the Earl’s daughter, but rather due to Hux’s crude description of the entire affair. If Hux noticed Ben’s distress, he paid no mind and continued on, “A lady of her character is more suited to the baronet Sir Poe Dameron.”

Ben’s eyes floated back towards the girl, who was currently laughing at what was no doubt a foolish tale Poe Dameron was telling her. The glass in Ben’s hand cracked at the sight, drawing the attention of several pairs of eyes at the ball, the young woman included. More than embarrassment, Ben felt a sense of awe when the entire room fell away and time seemed to stop as their eyes met. He licked his lips again as a voice chanted in his head  _ mine mine mine _ and only when she quickly looked away was he able to think clearly again.

“Solo, are you unwell?” Hux asked, his voice sounding more amused than concerned but once all of the attention was no longer on Ben and his violent outburst, he leaned in. “Making such a woman your wife would be a folly. If she were to bear a beta son, the embarrassment caused would be far worse than no heir at all.”

Ben felt a surge of annoyance that his interest in the woman had been made so obvious to Hux, and if questioned further, he knew to write off what he was feeling as lust and not any genuine interest. A large part of Ben knew that his friend was right. If it was true that her mother was a Beta, then she might not give him the alpha heir he needed and if she were to give birth to a Beta, her common origin would be known to all and no longer something to be whispered about behind her back. Never had there been a legitimate Beta born within the peerage, and though the Skywalker family was no stranger to scandal, this would be one the family would never recover from.

That didn’t stop him from wanting her, however, and he wondered if the only way to stop thinking about her would be to leave. He would be able to think with the same level headedness of Hux if he wasn’t drowning in her scent or if he could clear her visage from where it was seared into his brain. He knew he was in trouble.

Before he even had a chance to leave, to get his head straight, Poe Dameron was strolling over with the girl on his arm. “My Lords,” Poe bowed and the girl did a pretty curtsy, her hand still on Dameron’s arm, much to Ben’s irritation. “May I present to you Lady Rachel Kenobi, daughter of the Earl of Pembroke?”

Both Ben and Hux bowed in return and Ben spoke first, “My Lady, I was sorry to hear of your father’s passing. I knew him well as a child.”

She blinked up at him through her eyelashes and simply said, “I did not.”

Ben paused for a moment, startled not by her words so much as the familiarity he found in her eyes. He’d looked into those eyes many times before and they were not the eyes of the Lord of Pembroke, but of King Sheev Palpatine of France. This was a lucky coincidence -- Ben had returned for the season to exact revenge on everyone who had wronged him and if she was who he now suspected she was, she may fall perfectly into his plans.

The excitement that he should have felt at the possibility surrounding her true parentage was overshadowed by the exhilaration he felt due to her proximity. This close, she smelled even more heavenly.

He buried his Alpha instincts -- this girl was surely beautiful and though her scent was slowly driving him wild, he had to look at the big picture. He would keep her as close as he could to investigate his suspicions, but he would push all other desires for her aside. Bedding a bewitching omega would be satisfying in the moment, but he would live to regret giving up his plans of vengeance to do so.

First, he needed to prove his intuition regarding Rachel Kenobi as fact. He needed to get her alone and see if he could work out any information that might confirm she was not a true Kenobi.

As the Waltz music started and before Poe Dameron had a chance to ask, Ben lifted his hand to Rachel, in a silent request for a dance. In return, she offered her gloved hand and he led her to the floor. With a bow on his part and a curtsy on hers, the dance started. “I often vacationed at your family home in Wales,” Ben steered the conversation towards her family and their home, hoping to trip her up

“I believe we both know it is not my home,” Rachel replied curtly.

“Are you not Lord Pembroke’s heir?” Ben retorted, meeting her in the center of the floor and taking her hand again before spinning her. She was giving him the information he needed far easier than he’d planned.

“I am not a man, nor an Alpha, Lord Bristol,” she reminded him, a bitter tone to her voice. “Nor am I pure of blood.”

Ben bit back a smirk, more amused by her frank opinion of the situation than disappointed that she was not admitting to her ruse. “That matters not if the Earl of Pembroke made you his heir. With such an estate to your name, I am most sure that you may have your pick of your suitors, the baronet Poe Dameron included.”

When next Ben tried to take Rachel’s hand and spin her again, she kept her arm at her side and spun herself, casting Ben a petulant expression. “Sir Poe has been a very kind man. Contrary to the whispers of other Alphas.”

“I assure you, Lady Rachel, that any whispers are on account of your charms and not your parentage,” Ben informed her.

“I find that most doubtful, My Lord,” she argued, but her tone remained light as though she was aware their conversation bordered on impolite. To make up for the tone of the conversation, when they met in the middle of the floor once more, she placed her hand in his outstretched palm again. “Surely, you have heard many things about me which should dissuade you from making my acquaintance.”

“You will find I am an unconventional man.” The things that Hux had told him should have been enough to scare him away from Rachel Kenobi. If she was of common blood, courting her would have been out of the question. He would not be allowed to marry a woman who might give birth to a Beta son. And now, if it were simply a matter of her being an extremely attractive Omega, he might be able to let her go if he were to put distance between them and alleviate the temptation.

But Rachel Kenobi was not just a tempting Omega. She was the possible daughter of the King of France and an integral piece in exacting his revenge. 

“So I have heard, My Lord,” she commented with a smirk and Ben held tightly to her hand as the song ended. 

When he realized that the song was over and he no longer had reason to hold her hand, he let go and bowed to her again. “I hope we have another chance to speak, Lady Rachel.”

“Rey. You may call me Rey, My Lord.” With that, she curtsied and took her leave, casting Ben a look over her shoulder as another song started and Poe Dameron led her back for another dance.

He fought down the urge to yank her away, cursing the Alpha instincts that had him so on edge around her. He needed to think and that meant getting away from the ball where he would have to keep smelling her and watching her smile and dance with other men. Pining after an untouchable Omega would not be conducive for Ben’s plans.

He bid farewell to Hux and excused himself from the remainder of the evening. Benjamin Solo needed time away from the Omega temptress to reexamine his plans.

*****

_‘Stupid_ ,’ Rey solded herself. Why had she told him to call her by her nickname? She knew it was improper, that she didn’t have a chance at courting the Marquess of Bristol, so _why_ did she make a fool of herself?

  
As she walked away from him, she peaked over her shoulder, startled to find him watching her still as she returned to Poe Dameron’s side. She was new to the ton, but she knew enough etiquette now to know that because she had danced with Ben Solo, it would be improper to turn down another dance partner.

She let Poe lead her on to the floor, aware that Ben’s eyes were still on her. Her inner Omega preened at the knowledge that he was still watching her, but Rachel Kenobi did no preening. She did not want the attention of Benjamin Solo.   
  


Rey had heard almost everything there was to know about Ben Solo before the night had even begun. The son of a Duke, Ben Solo had had everything handed to him on a silver platter since his childhood and was never thankful for it. As a teenager, he was said to be notoriously moody and had been sent to live with his uncle.

Not much was clear about what had happened to him there, but he ran away to France where it was said he became a vicious captain in the French King’s army during the Revolution. She had heard stories and imagined him to be a violent, cruel, entitled man.

For a child who grew up in servitude, the very idea of a human as spoiled as Benjamin Solo -- a boy who had everything and grew to be a man who spurned it all for foolish reasons -- made Rey’s stomach churn. She wanted to hate Ben Solo.

“Lady Rachel,” Poe interrupted her thoughts, placing his hand on her waist as he turned her in the Waltz, letting go before his touch caught the attention of anyone else. “Did you find Lord Bristol to be agreeable?”

Rey ignored the wrongness of Poe’s touch, her Omega instincts telling her to run, and focused instead on the conversation. “I did not find him disagreeable,” she replied, having nothing else she wanted to disclose about him.

She had come into the evening thinking that she knew everything about Ben Solo, but she hadn’t realized how wrong she was. Maybe he was the entitled manchild she had assumed him to be, but she hadn’t imagined him to be so… handsome.

He had her attention the moment he stepped into the ballroom. He was tall and broad, everything about him screamed ‘Alpha!’ and the sight of him alone had Rey certain that he could take care of her. He wasn’t conventionally handsome, maybe, his nose too large and his lips too full, but Rey found herself drawn to the darkness she found there.

And then she caught his smell and she thought her knees might give out, then and there. He smelled like grass and rain and freshly laundered sheets drying in the breeze. She wanted to steal his coat and wrap herself in it and just breathe in that smell. Or maybe strip down and roll around on it.

As Poe continued talking, she had to resist the urge to reach up to her neck and scratch at her gland. That was another thing she hadn’t expected when it came to the Alpha Marquess: her undeniable attraction.

When he’d taken her hand on the dance floor, Rey was so thankful that she’d had the foresight to wear gloves that evening. The shock of arousal at the touch of their hands was enough to cause slick to dribble out of her and she’d had to squeeze her thighs together, lest Benjamin Solo caught a whiff of her.

She wanted to dislike him, simply for everything he appeared to stand for. For everything he’d had that she had always wanted. For the principle of the matter! Even for the insinuation that men would only be interested in her for her title or her land. She’d tried to be unappealing, to talk about things she knew ladies of her place shouldn’t, like blood purity or the unjust partiality of Alphas in society, but he didn’t seem bothered. In fact, based on his banter and smirks, he perhaps found her contentiousness to be charming.

She squeezed her thighs together again, as Poe turned her gracefully, and realized that just thinking about Benjamin Solo was enough to get her aroused. ‘How dangerous,’ Rey thought to herself as she wrinkled her nose in disgust at the sensation of the dribble of slick down her inner thigh. If Ben Solo was to be a staple at these assemblies, Rey would have to learn to control her Omega urges. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the prologue! I'm currently thinking of this as a smutty Pride & Prejudice meets The Count of Monte Cristo, but we'll see where it goes! As I said in the beginning notes, this is my first time writing Regency era fiction and the peerage titles are frustratingly confusing to my American brain, so if I've made a mistake, please tell me (kindly) in the comments!
> 
> This is also my first ABO fic. In this world, those with a peerage title (duke, marquess, earl, etc.,) are all alphas/omegas -- a beta cannot inherit a title or land. As such, in this universe, it would be impossible for someone of peerage title to marry a beta. As a result of peerage lines never mating with Betas, their children have been alphas/omegas for generations. Because Rey has a beta mother, her bloodline is considered impure and it is widely thought that she would be less likely to give her husband an Alpha heir. Poe Dameron is a baronet, which would be considered a nobleman, but is not part of the peerage class. For this reason, it would be unimportant whether his son is a Beta and that is why Hux tells Ben that Rey is better suited to Poe.
> 
> Gentry and commoners (as you will see later) are able to give birth to alphas and omegas, but that doesn't give them a higher social standing. In fact, most female omegas born in the common class will be sold into prostitution and the alphas would be conscripted into military service on presenting. This will play a role in the story later!
> 
> Please subscribe and recommend this story to your friends. I no longer have a twitter account and I love interacting with anyone who reads my story so please comment and lets talk! Thanks for reading and I hope you'll stick around for the next part!


	2. Omega in Distress

There were many things that Rachel Kenobi learned to dislike when she became a lady, but the one thing she hated above all other things was needle point. She was not opposed to doing things with her hands, but she did not have the patience for an activity so pointless as embroidery. It was boring and tedious and silly, as far as she was concerned.

She’d already stabbed her fingers with the needle more times than she could count because her mind kept wandering from the conversation at hand to a certain Alpha she had shared a dance with two weeks prior. She hated that she couldn’t stop thinking about Benjamin Solo and his warm brown eyes and broad shoulders and how small her hand was in his very large ones. Just thinking about him made that infernal gland on her neck burn and itch.

For that reason alone, Rey had been avoiding all social gatherings while she was in London. She knew that there were very few people in the world that she could trust, but she’d always been able to trust herself -- or so she had thought. One dance with Ben Solo threw that notion right out the window and Rey was struggling with her urge to find him and do… what, she wasn’t sure.

Matters weren’t helped at all by the fact that she had been graciously invited to stay in the London townhouse of Leia and Han Solo for the season. Rey hadn’t even _wanted_ to participate in the ridiculous notion that was ‘the season’, the only purpose of which was for eligible Alphas to find simpering Omega mates. Rey was never going to get married -- she was perfectly happy living by herself in her seaside manor in Wales. She had no desire to find herself chained to a man and used as a broodmare. She’d never even _thought_ of a man until the Marquess of Bristol and biology be damned, she was going to ignore whatever urges were telling her that she _needed_ his seed.

If not for the chance of slighting Leia, she would have refused to come to London all together, but as Leia had taught her, Rey needed to consider her obligations to society and how it would look if she didn’t show up. People were already talking about Benjamin Kenobi’s daughter and she was sure none of it was good. Rey wasn’t foolish -- she knew that with a proper lady like Leia Organa Solo on her side, she would be welcomed into the ton.

Rey owed a debt of gratitude to Leia, who had served as a mother figure during Rey’s debut within the social elite. For this reason alone, Rey had agreed to come to London. Since her arrival and subsequent attendance at the ball two weeks ago, Rey had received several offers of courtship from men of all classes and designations, and while the idea of courtship and marriage had never appealed to Rey, it had also never caused her stomach to churn.

The sense of wrongness that washed over her each time she received a suitor or written invitation left Rey feeling confused and annoyed. She knew the cause -- Benjamin Solo. He had somehow crawled under her skin and refused to leave her mind, so much so that as she crossed another stitch in her needle work, she swore she could smell him.

Cursing under her breath, she rubbed her thighs together, trying to will away the wetness that seemed to form whenever she so much as thought about --

“Ah, it seems I have discovered Lady Rey’s whereabouts at last,” Ben Solo’s teasing voice came from behind Rey. In her shock, she stabbed herself with the needle again and refused to turn to face the man haunting her every waking moment.

“Benjamin!” Leia jumped out of her chair and crossed the room towards her only child. “What are you doing here?”

“Father has invited me to go riding,” Ben explained, allowing his mother to embrace him as he stared at the back of Rey’s head.

“I should have surmised as much, that old bacon-brain. Wait here and I shall fetch him for you.” Leia shook her head as she marched from the room to find her husband.

Ben took several steps closer to where Rey sat perched on the edge of her chair. “I must admit that I am most pleased to find you well, Lady Rey. Your absence has been the talk of the ton.”

“And what of me, cousin?” Kaydel spoke up from her chair, situated across from Rey’s. She set aside her needlework and leaned back, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Ah, is that little Kaydel?” Ben grinned. “I have not seen you since you were a child.”

Rey could not have been happier to have someone else in the room to keep Ben occupied because she was quickly realizing that Ben held a scary amount of power over her Omega brain. She let them talk as she used her handkerchief to blot the dot of blood on her finger. She was so absorbed in what she was doing, that she didn’t even notice the pause in conversation between Ben and Kaydel.

“You have wounded yourself,” Ben frowned and knelt next to Rey’s chair.

“A clever observation, Lord Bristol,” Rey shot back, trying to pull her hand away as Ben took it. Rather than replying to her sarcasm, he simply brought her finger to his lips and sucked it into his mouth.

The sensation was otherworldly, and as Ben’s tongue laved her finger, Rey felt a gush of slick against her thighs. If his lips and tongue felt this heavenly on her finger, she couldn’t imagine how they would feel against her gland or latched onto a nipple, or buried between her thighs. A moan came from her parted lips and she looked down at Ben with heavy-lidded eyes.

He looked absolutely thrilled with himself at her reaction and if Rey were in the right state of mind, she would be mortified as his nostrils flared, taking in the scent of her arousal. For now, that didn’t matter though, because she could _smell_ how pleased he was with her reaction.

“Benjamin!” Leia cried from the doorway, crossing her arms. 

Ben smirked at Rey, still holding her hand as he slid her finger out of his mouth. “I shall see you soon, little bird.”

Rey’s entire body was still on edge and she absent-mindedly raised her hand to her neck, rubbing her saliva coated finger against the gland on her neck. She wasn’t sure what caused her to do such a thing, but immediately her entire body relaxed enough that she could focus. “Little bird?”

Ben nodded at her embroidery hoop where she was currently working on a pattern of a little yellow bird. With that, he stood up and strode to the door where his mother was giving him a disapproving glare. “Your father is waiting for you in the entrance hall. And I pray that should you return, you conduct yourself in a proper manner with my guest. Now, out!”

“Yes, mother,” he winked at Rey and Kaydel before sauntering from the room.

“That cad,” Leia grumbled under her breath as she sat down in her seat and picked up her embroidery hoop. “Rachel, please forgive my foolish son.”

Rey shook her head and returned to working on her own needle point. She didn’t want to think about what had just happened, because if she did, she might die of embarrassment. It was one thing to get caught up in the heat of the moment -- afterall she was an omega and couldn’t help her hormones. But it was a completely different thing to become so aroused in front of Kaydel and Leia as well. 

“Do not worry, Rachel. I thought it sweet that Cousin Ben was so gentle with you,” Kaydel teased.

Leia gave Kaydel a disapproving look, “You read too many romance novels, Kaydel. There is nothing sweet about such behavior.”

“She pricked her finger, dear aunt. He was anxious for her well-being,” Kaydel defended her cousin.

“Hmph,” was all Leia said as she continued her stitching.

As Rey picked up her own work where she left off, she tried to focus on the conversation, but found herself unable to focus as she grew hotter. She hadn’t even realized she’d zoned out of the conversation with Leia and Kaydel until they were both calling her name and looking at her with concern. “Huh?”

“Are you feeling ill, dear?” Leia asked, setting down her needle point and raising a hand to touch Rey’s forehead. “Oh, straight to bed with you. Come…”

With the help of a chambermaid, Rey was brought to her room and stripped down to her chemise before being ushered into bed. Once the covers were drawn up to her neck and the curtains pulled closed, Rey cursed the Marquess of Bristol under her breath as she fell asleep.

*****

_Rey dreamt of France and the first time she saw Ben Solo -- a day she had long since pressed to the back of her mind and one that she knew to keep hidden forever, for her own safety._

_Rey knew that she was born in England, but she couldn’t remember living there. She couldn’t remember anything before being sent to live with Unkar Plutt. She didn’t remember having parents or learning English or even French. It was as if she had never even existed before she arrived in Paris, on the doorstep of Unkar Plutt._

_As soon as she’d been taken in, she was given boy’s breeches and a linen shirt -- a welcome change from skirts that kept her from running and climbing. She knew it wasn’t proper, but Rey didn’t concern herself with propriety. On the streets of France, she wasn’t a little girl named Rachel. She was simply Rey and when people mistook her for a boy, she didn’t correct them._

_She wouldn’t say life was easy -- she worked hard to earn her keep. She learned how to pick-pocket from Plutt and so she never went hungry. She didn’t have a bedtime or parents to answer to -- as long as she brought enough money home at night, she was given a roof over her head. And on the rare occasion that she made the mistake of coming home empty handed and it had ended in a beating and a hard night on the streets._

_Needless to say, it only happened once or twice before Rey learned her lesson. She survived by being smart so when she’d heard rumors of an easy way to make money, she jumped on the opportunity. If she could hide away enough money, she would never go hungry or take a beating again._

_The downside was that in order to make money, she needed to have money because this get rich scheme relied on placing a wager on the winner of a boxing match. She’d heard of boxing before, had seen men of all degrees enter the seedy establishments through back alley doors. She also knew that the sport was violent and illegal._

_The first step in her plan was finding a way in -- even if she had the money to waste on an entrance fee, that would be money she could have been placing towards her bet. She had no plan, but she had confidence. She was quick and small and with very little effort, she managed to squeeze in between two fat noblemen while the man watching the door was distracted._

_Step two involved finding the man taking bets and that went even more easily because little Rey knew that it had to be the man with a line of people waving money at him. After waiting her turn in line and making her way to the front, she was immediately turned away by the bookie. “Get lost, boy,” he barked out in French._

_“I have money,” Rey returned, pulling out a wad of stolen cash from her pocket. As expected, the sight of cash was enough to change his mind and he took it from Rey after she randomly picked a winner for the biggest fight of the evening. With no knowledge of the sport, she picked randomly, knowing that she had a fifty-fifty chance of winning._

_As the room filled, she was crowded to the back, and though she couldn’t see well, she had no qualms. Boxing was indeed a very violent sport and Rey found herself closing her eyes to avoid the sight of bloodied fists and faces._

_“Finally, the last match of the evening -- Kylo “The Marquess” Ren versus Jacques “the Hutt” Hotte,” the announcer called after what Rey felt was death match after death match. Rey’s ears perked and she squeezed through the crowd to get closer. This was where she had placed every last bit of money she had and though she didn’t want to see the violence up close, she was anxious for the outcome._

_  
_ _She had chosen “the Hutt” because it was such a nonsensical name, but now that she saw the boxers, she wished she could change her mind. The Hutt was so huge, Rey knew that if he were to land a punch, he could win. The problem was that it didn’t look like he was capable of moving and The Marquess, well… he was very fit. Tall and broad and strong looking and though Rey knew all about Alphas and Omegas, until this point, she’d only been able to guess at someone’s designation. But when she saw The Marquess, she knew he was Alpha. Her heart sang that he was an Alpha and before the match even started, she knew that her money was gone._

_It was perhaps the fastest match all night and if she’d known that The Marquess was undefeated, she wouldn’t have bet the way that she did. And now Plutt was going to hit her for coming back so late with nothing to show for it. She looked around as the crowds thinned and it occurred to her that there were many rich men in the room tonight. Surely she could just take a little bit and they would never notice._

_She crept closer and then bumped into a man wearing a velvet waistcoat. “M’sieur! I apologize!” Rey cried, using the distraction to reach into his pocket and take his purse._

_She almost smiled until she looked into the man’s twisted, scarred face and she took a step back, dropping the purse in horror as he looked down at her with his cold blue eyes. “What have we here? A thief?”_

_Rey shook her head, “N-no… sorry…” She backed away slowly, her blood freezing in her veins as he glared down at her._

_From behind him, The Marquess approached, “Master…”_

_“Kylo Ren, your arrival is in perfect timing. It seems we have an issue…”_

_Rey shook her head, taking a step back as The Marquess turned his attention on her. In her ears, she could hear her blood rushing but it sounded just like Alpha Alpha Alpha. “I’m sorry. Here,” she bent down and picked the purse up, holding it out to the old man._

_“Teach this dog a lesson,” the man spat and The Marquess took a step towards Rey. Before she could turn and run, he’d grabbed her around the neck._

_She coughed as his fingers squeezed around her neck and she thought she was looking death in the eyes as he lifted her off of the ground. “P-please,” she begged and his nostrils flared before his eyes widened and he dropped her as if she’d burned him. She fell on her knees, too scared to run or even crawl away._

_“What are you doing?” the man spat at Ren. “Kill him!”_

_Rey quivered in fear, raising her hand to rub her neck where there would surely be bruises. Not that it would matter when she was lying dead at the bottom of the Seine._

_“She is a girl,” The Marquess argued, looking down at Rey with remorse. “A little Omega.”_

_Rey shook her head, “N-no…”_

_“It does not matter. No one steals from me! KILL HER!” Snoke screamed._

_The Marquess looked pained as he grabbed Rey by her ponytail and pulled her across the floor towards the alley. By now the matches were over and the streets were empty. The Marquess tossed her onto the wet cobblestone and growled down at her, “Run!”_

_Rey could only whimper as The Marquess stood over her. “You are about to present, Omega. If you are caught here… it will not be good.”_

_“I-I can’t…” If that was true, she had nowhere to go. There was no safe place for her. She would be raped on the streets and if she made it home before then, Plutt would sell her to a brothel._

_“Run, little bird,” The Marquess told her desperately and Rey knew that prostitution would be preferable to whatever it was that The Marquess would do to her if she stayed cowering in the alley._

*****

Rey woke with a groan as a cramp ripped through her. Her entire body felt like it was on fire and she knew immediately what was happening -- she was going into heat. It shouldn’t be happening right now, Rey knew. She never would have come to London if she’d known that her heat was so close. It wasn’t safe here.

In a panic, she sat up, choking back a sob. She couldn’t go into heat here. She needed to be back in Pembroke with the sound of the waves and the smell of wild violets. She needed her own bed and her own blankets...

Blankets! She sat up and immediately gathered up all of the blankets before dragging them into a corner and making herself a little nest, hidden away from view of anyone who opened the door. She got to work on it, stopping only to pull off her sweaty chemise and toss it into the pile.

She froze as she heard commotion outside of her door and instinct had her settling into the nest and pulling the blankets up over her body. “Rachel!” Leia’s voice called through the door. “No! Han, you must keep him back!”

There was the noise of something being knocked over followed by a loud thump and then Rey’s door was opening. “Rachel?” Leia’s voice called. 

The sound of her boots clicked across the floor until she dropped down onto her knees in front of Rey. “Oh, little poppet,” Leia brushed the matted hair from Rey’s forehead. “You are in heat and we must get you to some place safe.”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the Regency era, bare knuckle boxing was one of the most popular sports among all classes (even royalty enjoyed watching). In many places, it was illegal and women were not allowed to attend. Bets/wagers were placed along with 'purses' for the winners of the matches.
> 
> I have no planned posting schedule for the story and I currently have two others going. I plan on updating at least once a week until school starts back up for me in September but it could be more than once a week depending on how motivated I feel. (comments and kudos always help *hint hint*) Anway, I'll see you all next week!
> 
> (Also I've got a couple of pinterest boards going if anyone wants to make me some moodboards or whatever:  
> regency fashion - https://www.pinterest.com/gwendy0925/regency-fashion/  
> regency aesthetic - https://www.pinterest.com/gwendy0925/regency/ )


	3. Omega's Wrath

Rey was only barely lucid as Leia tried scooping her up from her nest, and bless her for trying, but the older woman was much too small to even properly gather her up in her arms. “Pembrokeshire,” Rey mumbled.

Leia shook her head and sat back on her heels, “There is no time.”

Rey choked back a sob and buried her head in her blankets, wishing she had never come to London at all -- she didn’t care about appearances or the ton or finding a suitable mate. She just wanted to be left to herself in her manor by the sea.

“I know, Rachel,” Leia soothed. “I know you wish to be at home among your own things. But your heat will be over before we arrive.”

From in the hallway, there was another crash followed by loud cursing before Rey’s door was thrown open. Rey did not have to look up from where she lay to know that the Marquess had made his way into her chamber. She could smell him, strong and heady, and it made her eyes roll to the back of her head. _Alpha_. She couldn’t help her body’s reaction to his presence and the cramps rolling through her intensified, calming only when her body produced another wave of slick to trickle down her thighs.

“Han!” Leia bellowed, shielding Rey from Ben’s view.

Han’s heavy, uneven footsteps clomped into the room and he huffed, “Damn kid.”

“Ben you must leave,” Leia pleaded, looking at her son with desperate eyes. “I do not wish for you to do something you shall regret.”

Ben Solo took a step closer to where Rey was curled into a ball and his nostrils flared, “She needs her alpha.”

Rey’s heart soared at the words, even while there was a voice in the back of her head screaming how wrong the words were. The Marquess of Bristol was undeniably strong, and handsome and he would make the ache between her thighs go away, she was sure. The thought alone made her whimper.

“You are not her alpha,” Leia spoke calmly. “You _must_ leave, Ben.”

“Can you not see she’s in pain?” Ben urged and Rey could almost feel the anger rising from him like plumes of smoke.

“It is a pain that omegas must endure,” Leia said simply, and from where Rey was curled into a ball, she let out another sob at how unfair it all was. Why must she endure it simply because she was a female?

“Then I shall help her to endu-” Ben began.

“You shall do no such thing!” Leia practically roared. “She is the heiress to the Duke of Pembroke and you have not so much as announced your intent to court her. You will ruin her! Leave!”

“Then I announce my intent,” Ben said, taking a step forward.

“No,” Leia said.

“No? Shall we let Rey speak for herself?” He stepped around Leia and knelt down next to Rey, holding out his hand. “Come with me.”

Rey was glad that Leia had covered her properly as she turned and buried her face against her blankets, trying to calm herself with her own scent, and shook her head. She knew Leia was right. If she let the Marquess help her, if anyone found out, she would be ruined, probably stripped of her inheritance and sent to a brothel. “No.”

Ben frowned at the stubborn reply from Rey. “Be a good little Omega,” he tried cooing, finding her cheek in the mess of blankets and stroking it.

Rey’s body responded accordingly, another wave of fresh slick coating her walls and sliding down her thighs as she sat up, her blankets falling from her body and exposing her breasts to Ben’s eyes. From across the room, she heard Han cough, probably from the overwhelming scent of arousal filling the room and he hurriedly excused himself. But Ben, she didn’t miss the way his pupils dilated at the sight of her bare breasts, or the way he licked his lips as he gazed upon her. If she was lucid, if she could think about anything but what a strong Alpha the marquess was --

It was that strength, in part, that made her detest Benjamin Solo. She’d seen him fight, knew what he was capable of, and yet that was also what made him so appealing to her damned Omega brain. Instead of remembering the violence she’d seen or all of the horrible stories she’d heard about him and his master Snoke, Rey could only think about how good he would be at protecting their babies.

Her sudden docility brought a smirk to the marquess’ face and he reached out a hand to cup a breast, his smirk spreading when he dragged his thumb across her hardening nipple. When she whimpered and arched into his touch, he praised her, “That’s a good omega.”

“She said no!” Leia bellowed and reached for Rey, hauling her up from the floor and guiding her to the bed. “You have already ruined your own reputation, do you intend to ruin hers as well?”

Ben’s jaw clenched, “I do not intended to--”

“And if she becomes heavy with child, what then?” Leia interrupted, her voice laden with vitriol. “Do you understand how others will speak of her?”

“I do not care what others--” he began.

“Exactly why you cannot have her!” Leia returned with a glare at her only child. There was a brief stand-off as Ben glared at her, and after a moment Leia sighed and changed tactics, “You are not thinking properly. Her scent is affecting you.”

“No more so than it will affect the alpha mongrels when they come tearing down your door here in London. Better me than…”

“We shall take her to Sir Poe Dameron’s home in Kent,” Leia said decidedly as she dug through Rey’s nest and found her chemise before hurrying back to Rey’s side and slipping it on over her head.

Ben growled and whether it was from the mention of Poe Dameron or from her suddenly covered flesh, Rey did not know. All she knew was that it sent shivers down her spine and made her want to rip the damn thing off again just to please him. She couldn’t focus on the conversation between Ben and Leia, not with the Marquess and his heavenly pheremones so near.

“Absolutely not,” Ben growled at his mother. “You think so highly of Poe Dameron that he should mate with her?”

“I trust Poe Dameron enough not to,” Leia said curtly.

Ben said nothing, but Rey could see the anger and hurt in his glare. Several long beats passed as mother and son glared at one another before Ben finally spoke, “You are ignorant then.”

`

Leia turned back to Rey and cupped her face as a mother would a precious child and if Rey weren’t so out of her mind with need, she might be touched. “She needs protection,” Leia argued. “His house is in the country and it is only a day’s journey. I will stay with her and make sure no harm comes to her.”

“And protect yourself and her from an alpha in rut?” Ben asked, condescention heavy in his tone. “I have a home in Surrey,” Ben declared. “Less than a day’s journey. And she will have my protection.”

Leia seemed to ignore Ben as she spoke to Rey, “The chambermaids are preparing a bath for you. We will get you cleaned up first.” At last, she turned to her son, “Your father and I will accompany her.”

“Fine,” Ben ground out and it was clear that there were no other options as his mother guided Rey to the door. “We leave in an hour.”

*****

Ben could do nothing but pace the hallway outside of where Rey was taking her bath. He had never in his life been so affected by the scent of an Omega in heat as he was now, not even in all of his time in the brothels of Paris. The smell alone was nearly sending him into a rut and he felt completely on edge, his will at battle with his Alpha instincts. He wanted Rey, that much he knew from the moment he’d been in her presence. But this was all just an unwelcome distraction from the reason why he had separated himself from Snoke and Palpatine and returned to London. He didn’t _want_ the hindrance of heats and mates to keep him from executing his plan.

And how did Rey fit into his plan, exactly? He had hoped to discover more of her background from his father, perhaps even confirm that she was not Kenobi’s daughter but the heir to French Royalty. But it seemed that Rachel Kenobi as a talking point was off-limits. All Ben could find out was that Old Ben Kenobi had fallen ill a year ago and Rey emerged from the shadows as his heir. Perhaps Han knew nothing, for his father often kept himself distanced from any dramatic happenings in the ton. But Leia… she would know the truth.

And it seemed she wanted to keep Ben away from Rey at all costs. Why else would she trust a known rake like Poe Dameron? Just the thought of sending her off to any Alpha had Ben growling in frustration and when a chambermaid emerged from Rey’s chamber with a dress draped over her arms, she shook in fear as she darted past him into the chamber with the tub.

Soon, Rey emerged from the chamber, skin pink and expression miserable. He could tell that his mother had attempted to hide Rey’s scent behind rose water, but the unmistakable scent of her heat was still obvious to any Alpha. Hopefully, it would be enough to get her to the carriage waiting outside but Ben kept a dagger at his hip just in case.

“Are you ready, my Lady?” Ben said, holding his arm out for her to take. He saw a spark of unwillingness, a glimpse of the woman who had bit back at the ball, minus the Omega. “I am to take you to the carriage.”

Finally, after a moment of hesitation, Rey took a shaky step closer and placed a hand on the crook of his arm. It did not take long for her Omega brain to take over and she leaned closer, pressing her cheek to the side of his arm as she walked alongside him. “I wish to go to Pembrokeshire,” she mumbled.

“I am afraid it is too late for that,” Ben told her. “My townhouse is outside of the city and I promise you will be safe, Lady Rachel.”

As he led her down the stairs, Ben heard the familiar sound of his parents arguing in the hall. “I cannot be in the same carriage with her smelling like… that,” Han bellowed indignantly.

“Then you and Ben shall take one carriage and Rachel and I shall use the other,” Leia proposed, turning to look at Rey as she came down the stairs. “Are you feeling be--”

“I shall sit with Lady Rachel,” Ben interrupted. “You and father can have the other carriage.”

Leia shook her head, “No, that would be indecent.”

“You cannot protect her in a carriage by yourself,” Ben argued. “If we encounter an Alpha and he catches her scent, you will be ambushed.”

Leia looked as though she wanted to argue, but only gave a terse nod. “You are not to touch her again.”

“The driver would know if I did,” Ben reminded her, leaving out that his driver Mitaka was loyal to a fault. “She will be safe with me.” 

With that decided, Ben led Rey out to the carriage and helped her in, where she immediately laid down the entire length of one side and curled into a ball. Ben climbed in after her and closed the door, shutting out the warning expression his mother was giving him.

As the carriage set off, Ben pulled a book out of his bag and began reading, trying to keep his mind focused on anything but the Omega in heat across from him. His Alpha brain was demanding he take care of her, but she was not asking for him and that hurt his pride. She was being awfully quiet for an Omega in heat, anyway. Weren’t they supposed to beg for it when a healthy Alpha was near?

Her back was to him, so he leaned over her curled up form and it took him only moments to hear her quiet sniffles. The poor thing was probably in pain and trying so hard to deny her instincts -- whether it was from sheer stubbornness or her lack of interest in him, he wasn’t sure. He did find it admirable, however, that she was able to endure what must have been very painful.

He flipped back to the start of the book and began reading it out loud this time -- if it could occupy his mind, perhaps it would do good for her as well. Three pages in, when he glanced up, he turned to find that Rey had turned in her seat to face him and was watching as he read to her from the book. He fought every urge not to smirk as his eyes returned to the pages.

When evening rolled in, they were on the outskirts of the city and Mitaka pulled the carriage to the side of the road. Knowing that his mother was most likely checking in, he pushed the door open and waited for her arrival. Not a minute later, she poked her head into the carriage. “Come for some fresh air and dinner.”

Rey stayed where she was and shook her head, “I wish to stay here.”

Leia glared at Ben, “What did you do to her?”

Ben frowned at the accusation. “I was simply reading to her.” He nodded towards the book he’d set aside to open the carriage door. “Shall I bring some food for you?” he asked.

Rey looked panicked as she sat up and Ben realized, with pride, a moment later that it was because she didn't want him to leave the carriage. “I am not hungry, Alpha.”

Ben’s heart pumped with excitement at her choice of words and his brain began to chant _Mate her. Omega is ready._ His cock began to swell in his breaches at the thought and his pleasure with her must have been obvious, because her eyes dropped to his lap, widening at the sight and the scent of fresh slick filled the carriage. He chose to ignore the state of his own arousal, with his mother nearby and said, “Will you bring her dinner?”

Leia nodded, and if she noticed what was happening, she had the grace to ignore it. “Leave the door open.”

Ben did as he was told, leaving the door open, but as soon as Leia was gone, Rey practically flung herself across the carriage onto his seat. “Alpha,” she panted, looking down at his lap with a look of hunger. If he hadn’t been fully hard before, he was now, and the alpha part of his brain was telling him to take it out to show her, to let her see how verile he was and how much pleasure he could give her.

Leia must have been worried that something would happen because she returned with a tray of bread and cheese and fruits unnaturally fast. Ben was glad that he had chosen not to act on his desires because he could think of nothing more shameful than exposing himself in front of his mother. He pulled the jacket that he had discarded earlier across his lap as Leia climbed into the carriage.

“Here Rachel,” she handed Rey a crudely cut slice of bread topped with cheese. “I apologize for the meal. We left in such a rush that there was no time to prepare.”

Rey just shook her head and clutched her belly, a grimace of pain on her face. Ben took the bread from his mother and held it out to her, “You must eat.”

Rey, for her part, did not look pleased at the Alpha command but she opened her mouth and let Ben feed it to her. Her pout was charming, and Ben couldn’t help but think that _everything_ about Rachel Kenobi was charming. He liked the untamable part of her that didn’t quite understand propriety enough to know how uncouth it was to eat from his hand, and he liked that she just didn’t _care._ He liked that she could see through him, that she didn’t let herself fall to the charms of Ben Solo or any other man, that she’d shot him down from the moment they first spoke. He’d heard the rumors of how she’d turned away several suitors and even with her in this state, he didn’t have the confidence that she would accept him as a mate. Rey was Rey, and she wanted what _she_ wanted, everyone else be damned. He found it extremely enticing.

When she finished the bread and cheese, she drank from his glass of wine and leaned back against the seat, closing her eyes. “Will you read to me again?” she asked quietly.

“Yes,” Ben said, picking up the book.

“Shall I keep you company, Rachel?” Leia asked and Ben knew that his mother had no trust in him.

Ben smirked as Rey shook her head, her eyes still closed. “You smell bad,” Rey told her and he snorted at Rey’s candid answer.  
  
Leia glared at Ben, “She is nesting again. Please be careful, Ben. I beg of you.”

“We are but an hour from our destination. She will be fine,” Ben assured her, lifting his book to show his mother.

She gave him one last look, those looks she gave him when he was a child and she was tired of dealing with him, before hopping out of the carriage and shutting the door. Once she was gone, Rey opened her eyes and looked at him. “At last she is gone.”

“What do you --” he asked, eyeing her with suspicion as she reached over and snatched the jacket from his lap.

“Alpha,” her hand fell to his thigh and though he had gone soft at some point during their dinner, her voice and touch brought his erection back to life.

“Rey,” he warned, covering her hand with his own. He wanted her, more than maybe anything in the world if his ability to think of nothing else was any indication, but she would undoubtedly regret it if he were to defile her.

“Please, Alpha,” she begged, her small fingers tracing up and down his thighs and inching closer to the stiff outline of his manhood. “I want to see you and maybe touch you…” She licked her lips and Ben had to bite back a groan as he pictured that little pink tongue licking the sticky head of his cock.

He shook his head, taking her small hand in his and looked at her sternly. “That is not what you want.” She would never forgive him. Add to that, his mother would never forgive him and all chances at redemption would be shot.

“It is,” Rey insisted. “I want to know you. Please…”

Ben wondered if his command for her to eat was as difficult to resist as her pleas now were. He knew how easy it would be to just quickly give her the knot she needed, maybe she’d be so out of her mind for it that she wouldn’t even remember…

No, he couldn’t. He wasn’t sure how Rey even felt about it, but he was positive she had no warm feelings for him. If she were just some girl, he wouldn’t think twice. But she wasn’t some girl. She was headstrong, beautiful, perfect Rey, of peerage title and under the care of his own mother. All of that was a dangerous combination for Benjamin Solo, Marquess of Bristol.

“Please, Alpha,” Rey whimpered. “I need it, please, please, please…”

“Come,” Ben said with a growl, lifting her off the seat and setting her on her feet. Her face was a picture of confusion as she stood, hunched over under the short ceiling of the carriage. “Turn around and lift your skirts.”

Rey scrambled to do as she was told, not even realizing he’d used another Alpha command on her and Ben was greeted with the sight of her smooth derriere, and glistening thighs and he was tempted to command her to bend over and present herself to him but he wouldn’t be able to hold back, he knew.

He leaned forward, wrapping his arms around her waist, and pulled her back onto her lap until she was settled over the hard ridge of his swollen cock. “Do you feel me, Omega?”

“Yes, Yes,” Rey chanted, her hips starting to move against him. “Alpha.”

“Be a good little Omega,” he warned, stilling her hips. If she kept that up, he didn’t know what he would do.

“I need you,” she sobbed, trying to cant her hips to rub up against him. “Please.”

“We cannot,” he rested his chin on her shoulder as his hands slid from her hips to her thighs. He pried them open and dragged his fingers through the slick that had dribbled down. “Is this for me, Omega?”

“Yes,” she breathed, her thighs twitching. “For you Alpha. Let me have you knot.”

Ben growled and turned his head, licking at the inflamed gland on the side of her neck. Ladies shouldn’t know about things like knots, let alone talk about them. “Have you taken another’s knot, Rey?”

She shook her head, “N-no.”

“Good,” he said, sliding his hand further up her thigh until his middle finger was tracing the lips of her swollen, wet cunt. “This is for my knot only,” he told her, his finger dipping past the lips and sliding up to circle her swollen clit.

“Yes, Alpha,” Rey agreed, her hands clutching the seat as she spread her legs wider. “Please give it to me.”

“Not tonight, Omega,” he whispered huskily into her ear before swiping her gland with his tongue again. “You will have to use your imagination.”

“Alpha,” she whined, and Ben thought she would say more but then his finger drew tight little circles over the hardened nub of her clit.

“Close your eyes,” he told her, as his fingers, traveled lower. “So wet,” he licked his lips, already deciding that he’d have to get a chance to taste her at some point. “This slick is only mine too, understand?”

Rey nodded her head, her eyes squeezed tight as she angled her hips, trying to bring his fingers closer to her entrance. “Yours,” she mimicked obediently, and he rewarded her by pressing the tip of his index finger against her opening.

“Rey,” he whispered into her ear. “I want you to imagine my cock here.”

She gasped, whether from his vulgar language or his finger as the tip slipped inside of her opening, one could not say. “M-more…”

His finger slid deeper inside of her and his own eyes fell shut as he imagined himself how it would feel to be buried deep within her wet walls. A second finger slid in with ease and he was reminded again of how ready she was to receive him. “Rey you feel so…” He trailed off, because words could not describe how perfect she felt as she squeezed around his fingers.

Her hips jerked and he curled his fingers up, causing her to cry out. He slid his fingers out, dragging slowly against her walls and he bit his lip to keep from groaning as she squeezed around his digits as though mourning the loss.

He didn’t have the patience to tease her, so he pumped his middle and index fingers in and out of her willing body as she melted against him, her head falling back onto his shoulder. Now he could see down the smooth plane of her stomach to the nestle of dark curls between her legs, and he licked his lips at the sight of his fingers disappearing into her cunt. “Are you being good, Omega? Are you imagining that it is my cock in here, stretching you open?”

Rey moaned and nodded, her legs spreading wider and Ben rewarded her again with a third finger. “Ah, ah, Alpha…” she panted.

“Imagine it is my knot, Rey, filling you up,” he spread his fingers slightly, simulating an inflating knot and Rey cried out as she came, more slick coating his fingers as her walls squeezed his fingers and he lamented not being able to feel something so wonderful around his cock. Someday, and hopefully soon.

He wondered for a moment if she’d passed out, but then her head lolled to the side and she was looking up at him with disdain. “You…” she growled.

He pulled his fingers from between her legs and resisted every urge to suck them clean as he looked down at her. “Yes?”

“You… you… unlicked cub!” Rey screeched, scrambling off of his lap and pulling her dress down in horror.

He raised an eyebrow, “Excuse me?”

“How _dare_ you?”

“I did not do anything you did not ask for,” he pointed out. “In fact, I would venture that I was far more of a gentleman than I could have been.”

“One does not get an honour for being more civilized than a...a…” Rey trailed off, seething and stared at the floor with a clenched jaw.

“A what?” he asked darkly.

“You’re a monster,” she spat, trying to smooth out her hair before giving up and tucking it under a lace cap that Leia had left for her in the carriage. Luckily, Ben did not have to think of a reply to that as the carriage pulled up to a stop in front of the house and Rey wretched open the door and sprang from the carriage.

He climbed out and watched as Leia took Rey’s arm and led her into the house, an uneasy feeling clawing at his insides. After he gave Mitaka instructions on having a room set up for Rey, he rubbed at his chest, finally realizing that the feeling was his inner Alpha, furious with his soulmate’s displeasure.

*****

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Women in the regency era wore no underwear under their dresses. That's it for today's lesson.


	4. Omega's Memories

Rey did not want to be thinking of Benjamin Solo, with his big hands and big thighs and big… well in normal circumstances, she would blush for even thinking about that particular appendage. But now, with her body in control, she could not seem to think of anything else but the way it had felt to be sitting on his lap and feel the heat of the marquess’ thick, hard cock wedged against her backside.

Thinking of it almost made her cry from want. 

Leia was sitting in a chair near the door, working on needlepoint and purposely ignoring the sounds of Rey’s whimpers as she writhed around on the pile of blankets Rey had pulled onto the floor -- the older woman had insisted that it was not proper to nest in the corner like some kind of animal, but Rey could not be convinced otherwise and so the subject had been dropped. Afterall, it was Rey whose comfort was most important during a partnerless heat.

Rey could not help but think back to her first heat and remembered that one had also begun in the presence of the Marquess of Bristol. If Rey had been in a more present state of mind, if she had been able to think of anything but trying not to stick her hand up her chemise to replicate what he had done to her in the carriage, she might have thought the coincidence too peculiar to dismiss.

There was a knock on the door and Rey’s heart soared at the idea that it could be Ben, even when she knew it was not. She would have felt him, smelled him -- and even so he would never be allowed to enter her wing of the house. For all she knew, he was gone from the manor. Why else would he not even try to come for her?

Rey found herself bristling. That was a whole problem there, was it not? How had he managed to sit in the carriage with her for  _ hours _ ? How had he refused her when she had begged for his knot? What kind of alpha did that?

Those thoughts shocked her. She should not care what Benjamin Solo did or did not do. She certainly should not let him occupy a second more of her time, but the Omega in her would not listen. She craved Benjamin Solo and rather than being mad at him, that voice in the back of her mind was cursing at her for doing something wrong.

“Rachel,” Leia cooed, tiptoeing towards her nest in the corner. She held a tea cup and saucer in her hands. “Have this.” She knelt on the floor next to Rey and tilted the cup to her mouth.

Rey recognized the drink -- valerian root and warmed wine, meant to make her sleep. Once she drained the cup, she nestled under the covers and sighed, “Ben.”

Leia clicked her tongue, “Ben is not here. He rode off on his horse shortly after we arrived and has yet to return.”

“Hmph.” Rey knew she was pouting, but she could not help the disappointment she felt knowing that he was not near. That he was purposely staying away from her. That he had abandoned her when she needed him most. No, that wasn’t right… she had yelled at him. She had sent him away.

“Rachel,” Leia crawled closer and pushed Rey’s hair away from her forehead. “I must ask that you stay away from Benjamin. He is not a good match for you.”

Rey closed her eyes and nodded, not wanting Leia to see the tears stinging her eyes. Naturally, Leia would not want someone like her as a daughter. She was a wretched stray with no place in this world. She felt miserable and sleepy and she snuggled into her blankets to fall asleep. As she drifted off, she could swear that Leia was still speaking, but she could not focus on the words.

*****

_ Rey dreamt again of that first night she met The Marquess, of the fear she felt upon the discovery of her designation. As soon as he had released her, she stumbled out of the alley and onto the street. If he had been able to smell it on her, she knew that everyone else would be able to as well. _

_ She knew that she had to think: going back to Plutt was not an option -- he was money hungry and would have no qualms about selling her to the nearest brothel for a few paltry Francs, but she needed somewhere safe to hide from rogue Alphas. _

_ The cramps took hold of her as she found a new alley to huddle in and she gritted her teeth through the pain, trying to come up with a plan. Her disguise as a boy usually kept lechers from looking her way, but the scent of Omega would do little good in fending off an Alpha sent into rut, whether they believed her to be male or female.  _

_ The whimpering is what drew attention, Rey was sure. Even if she knew that she was guilty of making the sound, there was little she could do to stop it. No one had ever told her how painful it was to be in heat and the closest thing she could think of was the time that she had gone 3 days with no food and her stomach hurt so bad she had cried. She felt hungry, but not for food. _

_ She had not even realized that she’d been found until a withered old hand was placed on her shoulder. “Little Omega,” a scratchy voice cooed. “You need help.” _

_ Rey remembered nodding. She needed help and the pain was so great that she had no choice but to trust that this woman would give her help and not take advantage of her weakness. Somehow, she managed to hoist Rey onto her feet and carry her to a nearby building. _

_ She could not remember much of her first heat, she was delirious with pain and hunger and could only remember begging for something that she never received. Mavise, or Maz, as she requested Rey call her, kept her fed and warm and safe. For that, Rey would always be grateful. _

_ On the last day of her heat, Rey woke to the smell of sunshine and warm, baking bread. When she cracked her eyes open, there was a strange man sitting near her bedside table, wearing the brown robes of a monk. “You, Rachel, were very difficult to find.” _

_ Rey blinked, burying her nose in her sleeve as his smell overwhelmed her. Alpha, her brain provided, and Rey decided instantly that it was too distracting. “Who are you?” she croaked, her voice hoarse from all of the crying and begging she had spent the past few days doing. _

_ “My name is Luke,” he told her, reaching over to take a piece of bread from the table. He put a generous pat of butter on top and handed it to her. “I have come to take you to England.” _

_ “England?” Rey sat up and grabbed the bread from his hand. She shoved it into her mouth in the most unladylike manner and almost choked as she asked, “Why?” _

_ “It is no longer safe here in France. There is a revolution afoot and I fear you may become a pawn in all of it,” Luke explained as he buttered a slice of bread for himself. _

_ “Me?” She tried to pay attention to the conversation, but could not focus with the distraction of bread on her bedside table. _

_ Luke snickered and nodded to the plate, “Help yourself.” _

_ Rey grabbed another slice of bread and put some butter on it, then glanced at Luke to see if he was watching her as she scooped the rest of the butter onto her slice. Plutt never let her eat butter with her bread.  _

_ If Luke noticed, he did nothing to betray his amusement as he continued, “You are a very important lady, Miss Rachel.” _

_ “You must have me confused with someone else, sir,” Rey said with a mouth full of bread. “I am nobody.” _

_ Luke laughed at her. “I am not confused, I assure you. It was I who left you in the care of Plutt, though I imagine he did not provide you with the most comfortable of accommodations.” _

_ “YOU left me with Plutt? Does that mean you are my father?” Rey asked hopefully, leaning towards the man. _

_ “No, dear lady. I am but a man of the cloth, as you can see,” he gestured to his robes. He leaned forward and filled a cup with water before handing it to Rey. “We shall have to work on your manners.” _

_ “We?” Rey asked after swallowing a cupful of water and wiping her mouth on her sleeve. _

_ “I am taking you to my old friend Benjamin Kenobi,” Luke told her.  _

_ “I do not understand,” Rey huffed, sitting up and crossing her arms childishly. “How shall I trust you? Perhaps you plan to sell me to a brothel.” _

_ Luke reached over and ruffled Rey’s hair. “You are very special, Rey. No amount of money is worth selling you.” _

_ “Then you plan for me to wed this Kenobi?” Rey pouted. She did not want to marry some perverted old Alpha. That was hardly a step-up from being a prostitute. _

_ “No, you will not be his wife,” Luke said. “You will pretend to be his daughter.” _

_ “His daughter? Then he is my --” Rey began but Luke cut her off. _

_ “He is not your father. You will be playing a part,” he informed her as he stood. He walked around the chair, putting his hands on the back as he waited for her to follow suit. _

_ “Then do you know who my father is?” Rey asked, crawling to the edge of her bed. _

_ “I do,” he said. “And you will too when the time is right.” _

_ Rey found herself pouting, annoyed that this Luke person would not give her any further information. “Then I will not go until you tell me.” _

_ “You will not?” Luke asked, raising an eyebrow at her. “Would you prefer to stay with Unkar? Perhaps he will sell you to a brothel?” _

_ Rey clenched her jaw because she knew that Luke had her there. “How do I know that Kenobi is any better?” _

_ “He is a Duke and never married so he has all the money in the world with which to spoil you. In addition, he will keep your belly full and your mind occupied. Certainly, you shall never need to steal to survive.” _

_ That had Rey’s attention. Even if Kenobi was a pervert, at least she would be taken care of. If she were to stay with Plutt, she would either continue to live as miserably as she had, or she would be sold into prostitution.  _

_ “Come,” he said, holding out his hand. “We have a boat to catch.” _

_ Rey stood uneasily, wondering if she even had a choice. She glanced at his hand, distrust in her gaze before he rolled his eyes and took her arm. Rey did not remember much from the boat ride, for she was still recovering from her first heat, nor the long carriage ride to Pembrokeshire.  _

_ She did remember arriving at Benjamin Kenobi’s manor by the sea, because she remembered thinking that it was the most beautiful place in the world, with the rocky cliffs and delicate violets, and the scent of saltwater in the air. _

_ Rey had never had a home or a family, not that she could remember, but she knew that if she had all of that, she would want it to be here. When they arrived, Benjamin Kenobi was waiting for them outside of the sandstone manor, dressed in fine clothes and Rey’s first impression was that he looked very gentle. _

_   
_ _ Even if he was an alpha, even if he did force her to do unsavory things, she thought that maybe it would not be so bad if he were gentle and took good care of her. “You must be Rachel,” he smiled. _

_ Rey stood awkwardly, unsure if she should curtsey or offer her hand. What did ladies do when meeting a duke? Surely, it did not matter because Rey was not a lady. “Hello.” _

_ Kenobi shared a look with Luke, as if they were biting back secret smiles. “You must be hungry after such a long journey. Come inside.” He beckoned them both to follow him into the house and led them to a formal dining room where maids were setting out platters of roasted pheasant, buttered turnips, fresh bread and steaming bowls of chestnut soup. Rey’s eyes grew at least three times their normal size and her stomach gave such a loud growl that even the maids had to excuse themselves lest they laugh at the guest. _

_ Rey did not feel embarrassed. She was hungry and this was the tastiest looking meal she had ever seen. Luke pulled out a chair for her and motioned for her to sit. Rey did as she was told and had to force herself not to pick up her soup bowl and slurp from it until the two men were properly seated themselves. _

_ “She will need lessons in manners, I fear,” Luke told Kenobi, though his voice was filled with amusement as the both watched Rey lift her bowl and drink from it. _

_ She blushed and set it down, watching as Kenobi dipped his spoon gracefully into the warm liquid and brought it to his lips. Rey sighed, thinking about what a woefully inefficient method of eating that was, but decided it was best to follow along. _

_ “She is much skinnier than I imagined,” Kenobi spoke and it annoyed Rey that they spoke of her like she was not there or could not understand them. _

_ “Yes, well, it is not due to lack of appetite,” Luke joked. _

_ “I shall have dresses made for her right away. It will not do for others to see her in those breeches,” Kenobi sighed. “And she will have to take lessons.” _

_ “Will I learn to read?” Rey asked excitedly. She had finished her bowl of soup and was waiting for the men to finish their own so that she could start on the next course. _

_ “Of course,” Kenobi said. “And if you wish, I shall read to you until then.” _ _   
_ _   
_ _ “Oh, I would like that very much,” Rey replied excitedly. She had spent her entire childhood hoping for parents that would feed her and read to her, and it almost felt too good to be true. _

_ “Then I shall do it every night,” Kenobi smiled at her and she returned it, hoping that it would be the first of many smiles they shared together in her new home. _

_ ***** _

“You cannot be in here.”

Rey woke to the sound of hushed voices and the distinct alpha smell of Benjamin Solo. Her body called her out of her dream as if it sensed her Alpha in proximity and she had to push those thoughts from her head.

The Marquess was not her Alpha. He did not want to be, for he had left as soon as they arrived. Leia did not want him to be, for she had told Rey not to become involved with her son. And Rey certainly did not want him to be. He was a scoundrel of the worst kind and-

“I do not need to stay,” Ben ground out. “I only wish to leave this here. Reading to her seemed to calm her and I just thought--”

_ Alpha is so kind, _ Rey’s Omega brain provided. She hated her heats because they kept her from thinking clearly, but it had never been so hard as it was this time. Benjamin Solo seemed to make everything more difficult. “Alpha,” she found herself whimpering, and both Ben and Leia turned to look at her.

“Rachel,” Leia took the book from Ben’s hands and marched purposefully over to her. “Would you like me to read to you?”

Rey shook her head, wishing Leia would just leave so she could be alone with Ben. A barely lucid part of her brain warned her that was not a good idea, but her Omega quickly shut her up. She wanted her Alpha and she could almost cry in relief as Ben came closer. The effect his scent had on her was instantaneous and she felt an embarrassing rush of slick flow from her center, down her thighs as Ben squatted next to her.

“Would you like me to read, Omega?” he asked in a low voice that made Rey whimper and rub her thighs together.

“Yes,” she nodded as enthusiastically as she could in her current state. “Please, Alpha.” She would take anything she could in her current state.

“Very well,” he smirked and yanked the book from his mother’s grasp, settling onto the floor beside Rey.

“I hardly think this is appropriate, Benjamin,” Leia spat, crossing her arms.

“Then stay and play chaperone,” Ben suggested as he opened the book to where he’d left off in the carriage and began reading.

If Leia had any other objections, she said nothing, instead going back to her chair near the door and giving her son a dirty glare before picking up her needlework. Rey was grateful that Leia let the subject drop.

Rey would never admit it, but being read to was one of her favorite things in the entire world and her fondest memories were of Ben Kenobi reading to her as she sat at his feet near the fire. She would also never admit that she much preferred Benjamin Solo’s reading -- that his voice both calmed and inflamed her and she could not help but think that perhaps he wasn’t such a bad man.

  
  
  
  
  



	5. Alpha's Memories

Chapter 5

When Rey awoke, she was wrapped up in the Marquess’ arms, and the warm puffs of breath against the back of her neck told her that he was fast asleep. The situation she found herself in at the moment was beyond scandalous. Rey had to wonder why Leia, who should have been chaperoning, had allowed Ben to enter her nest. If the soft snores from the other side of the room were any indication, Rey could only assume that Leia had fallen asleep before she could herd Ben out of the room.

Rey gritted her teeth against a cramp and clutched at her abdomen, trying to breath her way through the pain. The bitter truth of being an unwed Omega meant that she was forced to endure the physical pain her body put her through in lieu of mating.

“Rey?” Ben whispered hoarsely, pulling Rey tighter against him. 

Rey’s entire body tingled with desire at the sound of his voice, the heat of his body against hers making her entire being throb -- and all thoughts of her earlier anger at him for touching her vanished. In the throes of her heat, Rey tended to  _ feel _ rather than  _ think _ \-- and though her brain was telling her that she did not need Benjamin Solo, her body felt very differently.

She curled into him, pressing her rear against his front and wiggled, and turned her face against a pillow to muffle her panting. 

Ben reached down, stilling her hips with his hands and whispered against her neck, “We cannot.”

Rey squirmed until she was facing him and reached up, placing her fingers against where she knew his mating gland was hidden under the collar of his shirt, and stroked her fingers gently over it. “We can. Lady Leia is asleep.”

His eyes rolled into the back of his head and it seemed to take every ounce of will he had to pry her hands away from his neck. “It matters not,” he spoke cautiously. “I fear you far more than I fear my mother.”

Rey’s brow knitted and she pouted up at him, “Me?”

“Yes, you, little bird. You gave me quite the verbal lashing this afternoon. I believe you called me a monster,” he pointed out.

“I--”

He shushed her with a finger to her lips, “Sleep.”

“I cannot,” she retorted, hating the hint of a whine in her voice. “It hurts.”

Ben buried his face against her neck, swiping his tongue over her gland and the sound she made in response -- a cross between a moan and a gasp -- was so loud that there was a momentary pause in Leia’s snoring.

Rey reached up, clutching Ben’s shoulders as his tongue laved her neck in soft, wet strokes. She felt warm and calm and comfortable, even more so when his teeth nibbled her flesh, not hard enough to leave a mark but enough to make her go limp in his arms. She wasn’t completely naive -- she’d had an education and knew that he was scenting her -- temporarily tricking her body into thinking that she was mated. The act was more hardly considered proper in high society, but it did its intended purpose in relieving Rey of her cramps, and for that could not really be angry with the Marquess.

“Sleep,” he told her again, this time his voice was commanding enough that Rey could not help the way her eyes sagged in response.

“Ben,” she whispered as sleep took hold once more. “Please stay.”

“I shall stay right here by your side,” he promised, pulling a lock of hair over her shoulder to hide the love bite he’d given her neck.

Rey said nothing else, but Ben’s alpha intuition would not allow him to rest until his  _ mate  _ had succumbed to sleep. He’d had many hours on his ride earlier to think about the realization that some part of his inner Alpha had laid claim to Rey and Ben found it hard to deny that he truly wanted Rachel Kenobi. 

He stayed alert until her breaths evened out, indicating that she had once more fallen asleep, and only then did Ben allow himself to slip into his own nightmare of the night he’d fled from France.

*****

_ “Any last words?” Snoke spat, watching as his protege was forced to kneel on the ground. Kylo had been ripped from his bed in the dead of night and hauled to the center of town for a midnight execution at the guillotine. _

_ Once he’d managed to shake away the disorientation of being snatched from his slumber, his mind began to work on the puzzle of how he’d found himself in this situation. Hands tied tightly behind his back, Kylo gritted his teeth in anger, snapping and snarling as one of his own ‘knights’ shoved his head onto the chopping block. “I wish to know what I have done to warrant an execution.” _

_ “Such a disappointment,” Snoke spat. “You know what you have done, you weak pathetic dog.” _

_ Kylo thought hard about what he’d done to get him put in this predicament, but came up short of an explanation. He’d been on the receiving end of Snoke’s disappointment plenty of times in the past and been the victim of some rather violent forms of punishment as a result. His body was littered with scars to prove it. _

_ But never had he been placed upon the guillotine as he was now, the threat of death looming ominously. Those tortures of the past had been to teach Kylo a lesson -- to make him a stronger man. But death would not serve him any beneficial purpose, so whatever he’d done to warrant such an extreme reaction was surely unforgivable. _

_ The problem was that Kylo had done nothing in his recollection that would constitute execution.  _

_ “What have I done to disappoint you, master?” he tried again, casting his eyes up towards where Snoke was looming over him with a sneer on his face. Perhaps it was something he could fix. Kylo was not, however, expecting the response he received. _

_ “Your loyalty to the British crown,” Snoke spat. _

_ Kylo shook his head and argued, “I have denounced my home country, my family. You know as much, Master. If war between England and France commences, I shall fight for King Palpatine.” _

_ “Hmm,” Snoke said, pulling a letter from his pocket. “I tasked you with finding out who the spy infiltrating our ranks was. Months ago. Have you found him?” _

_ Kylo answered cautiously. He hadn’t been able to figure out who was spying on the French military for the British crown. All they knew was that someone was involved -- passing along information to England that kept them one step ahead of France. “No. But if you just give me a little more time, I could --” _

_ “Time,” Snoke spat. “Time will do you no good except to escape.” _

_ “Master?” Kylo asked, wondering what his mentor was talking about. He had nothing to escape from. _

_ Snoke unfolded the letter and held it under Kylo’s nose so that he could see it for himself. “I know it was you passing along information.” _

_Kylo’s eyes widened as he read the letter: it was full of information -- how many ships King Palpatine had, the numbers of all the officers in the militia, dates and timeframes for important events… all signed with Kylo’s signature:_ ** _Marquess of Bristol, Benjamin Solo_** _._ _“I have no idea what this is.”_

_ “Is that not your signature?” Snoke snarled angrily. “Do not deny it.” _

_ “I do not deny that it is my signature. But I did not sign that letter. I did not  _ **_write_ ** _ that letter.” He knew this argument would get him nowhere. The letter was incriminating enough that there was no way he could deny it. Whoever had written it, forged his signature, wanted Kylo dead. _

_ Kylo was not all brawn, he had a clever mind and the foresight, when the Knights of Ren hauled him from his room, to snatch the dagger he kept under his pillow and hide it up his sleeve. As Snoke ranted and barked, Kylo worked the dagger free and wedged it under the ropes tying his hands behind his back, cutting them off with a quick slice. _

_ Before the Knights even realized what he was doing, Kylo launched himself up, headbutting Kushuk in the chin until he stumbled backwards, dropping his musket. Vicrul took a step forward, swinging his sword at Kylo with a cry and Kylo spun out of the way, taking advantage of the chaos to grab Ushar’s sword. _

_ Kylo had trained these men -- knew their techniques and with Ushar disarmed, he drove the sword through his neck and then shoved him off the sword with a swift kick to the chest, launching his heavy body into Ap’lek and Trudgen. All three men flew off the platform of the guillotine and onto the ground. _

_ Before Kushuk had a chance to rearm himself, Kylo launched himself from the platform as well, taking off in a run towards a darkened alley. Under the cover of night, he could hope to remain unseen as Snoke bellowed at the three remaining knights to follow him. _

_ Kylo ducked into an open doorway, and crept through the house, unbeknownst to its occupants. He needed the higher ground if he was going to get away, so Kylo crept up the stairs and made his way to the roof of the old building. As Paris grew as a city, more buildings sprung up and Kylo used their close proximity to his advantage, hopping from rooftop to rooftop. _

_ He took a moment to pause, scanning the streets for the last three Knights, and wondered who had given Snoke that letter. Was his master so naive to not find it suspicious that such incriminating evidence conveniently found its way into his hands?  _

_ That no longer mattered, however. As soon as he’d killed one of his own knights, he’d as good as admitted his guilt. There was no going back now -- Kylo Ren looked like a traitor in the eyes of France -- and for that reason alone, he couldn’t stay. _

_ Kylo crouched low, waiting patiently for the search to be called to another quarter of Paris, before he made his way to the outskirts of town. There was no choice but to go back to England, at least until he figured out who had framed him for treason. He pilfered a horse from the first stable he came across and rode out of Paris towards Le Havre. _

_ He boarded the first ship that would take him and set sail for the country he had once considered home. His stomach clenched as he thought about what it would mean to go  _ **_home_ ** _. Several years had passed since he’d seen his parents and his reputation surely would have taken a hit once France declared war on England. _

_ There was an odd irony in his situation -- pride had kept him away from England for so long and now it was for the sake of his pride that he would be returning. Kylo was not sure what the future would unfold for him once the ship landed in his motherland, but he was sure of one thing -- he would get revenge, no matter the cost. _

_ ***** _

Ben woke with a start, shaking away his recollections and it took him but a moment to find Rey staring up at him with wide eyes. “Alpha,” she said softly.

“Rey,” he breathed, gazing into her doe eyes. He felt that inexplicable pull towards her and his eyes flitted to her lips, wanting so badly to feel them, warm and soft, against his own.

“You were having a bad dream,” Rey said softly. “Are you alright?”

Ben could not fight the warmth in his chest at the soft way she spoke to him, or the way she was looking at him, or even the fact that she cared enough to ask. “I am quite well, little bird.”

He could not tell her of his dreams -- of the night he’d almost been killed or of how he’d been betrayed. Her sympathy would only go so far once she knew of the fealty he’d sworn to the French Crown and for some reason, he found that he didn’t ever want her to stop looking at him the way she was now.

In the back of his mind, he knew that some of her softness could be chalked up to her heat and that as soon as it was over, she would go back to treating him with the same aloofness she had previously. Ben could not say he minded her snappish attitude, but he much preferred her like this -- looking at him with such unbridled adoration.

Ben felt good, whole, like he was worth something more than what life had dealt him. In the cloud of hormones and the sweet smell of the slick her body was producing, it was easy for Ben to imagine a world outside of his revenge. A world where he could marry Rey and be with her and have a dozen little pups. A world where he would be deserving of the affection with which she was giving him.

But that wasn’t a world that would ever exist because Ben could not give up on his revenge. And in order to do so, he would need to use Rey for his machinations -- something he knew from the bottom of his heart that she would never forgive him for.

“Go back to sleep, little bird,” Kylo cooed, kissing the crown of her head. He would just have to enjoy the pieces of her that she gave now, so that he could cherish them once they were gone.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back to this story. I promise the plot will move more smoothly once I get back into writing the story regularly but finally you have part one of Kylo/Ben's betrayal. Who do you think the spy is? :)
> 
> I'm sorry the chapter is a little on the short side. I had a long day (worked 8am-8pm) and then we were hit with a huge snow storm here in Minnesota. I spun out on the freeway on my way home from work and it was legit the scariest moment of my life. Luckily I was in the center lane and the roads weren't too busy so I was able to get myself re-oriented, but uff da!
> 
> I've posted my update schedule on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/jeeaysee0925) so follow me if you want to know when I plan on updating this fic (hint: it's very soon!)


	6. A New Alpha Comes to Town

The Secret Crown Chapter 6

When Rey next awoke, it was to the hushed but angry voices of Leia Organa-Solo and her son. She blinked into the morning light and pushed herself into a seated position. Already she noticed that her heat was coming to an end -- the cramps in her abdomen were but a dull pain now and her head felt cloudy.

She had gone through every heat since she presented as an Omega quarantined and with a chaperone and while none could be described as pleasant, this one in particular had been rough. To be fair, it was also Rey’s only heat in proximity to a verile Alpha and she knew that Benjamin Solo was the reason for her pain.

As she tuned out the arguing, her mind zeroed in on the events of her heat. He’d had his hands up her skirts, touching her in the most intimate way possible and not only had she let him, but she’d  _ begged _ him to do it and now her virtue was gone. If anyone ever found out, she’d be the social pariah, and not that she minded the thought of staying holed up in Pembroke for the rest of her life, but Old Ben would have been sorely disappointed in her.

She’d have to talk to Ben and beg him not to speak a word of what happened. 

Which brought her back to the present, where Ben and Leia were currently arguing over the previous night’s sleeping arrangement. 

“Just help me put her into bed and leave,” Leia ground out. 

“No, she’s nesting on the floor,” Ben argued. “I told you to just leave her there.”

“I’m not going to let her continue sleeping on the floor like an animal, Benjamin. It’s not proper!” Leia said. “And neither is your behavior.”

“Fuck propriety!” Ben hissed. “She was comfortable on the floor. If that’s where she wants to nest then just let her do--”

“She’s not your Omega,” Leia snapped. “It’s my job as her chaperone to keep her safe and I want you  _ gone.” _

Rey could see the way Ben’s nostrils flared from where he was standing on the other side of the room and when he looked over at her, she knew that he must have smelled her distress. He clenched his fist, fighting the urge to go to her. “She’s not mine,  _ yet. _ ”

“She never will be!” Leia shot back, pulling away from her son and going to Rey’s side. “Let’s get you into bed, sweetheart.” 

Rey let Leia coo over her, and she did not take her eyes off of the Alpha as she stood on shaky feet to move to the bed. The Omega inside of her protested loudly -- her nest smelled strongly of her Alpha and she didn’t  _ want _ to leave, but she couldn’t argue with Leia Organa-Solo and expect to win. She would just have to hope that Leia didn’t have the blankets hauled away so that she could roll in them the moment she was alone. 

Ben watched, an angry look on his face, as Leia tucked the blankets up under Rey’s chin. When she was settled in, Ben went to her side and sat on the edge of the bed. “Would you like me to read to you, Rey?”   
  
“Ye--”

“No. You must leave. Now,” Leia insisted. “This entire affair has been improper. If you cared about this girl at all you would leave at once.”

“Is there anything improper about reading to the lady I am courting, mother?”

Leia clenched her jaw and said through gritted teeth, “You are  _ not _ courting her and that is why it is improper.”

“I believe that is Lady Rachel’s will whether or not we are courting. What say you, little bird?” he looked at her imploringly.

Rey’s Omega instinct had her accepting the proposal with a shaking voice. “Y-yes.” Deep inside, that animalistic side of Rey knew that she wanted Ben. He was big and handsome and completely capable of protecting any pups that they would make together. The more sensible part of Rey knew that this would be a better answer to her problems: if she were to court Ben, they would be allowed to spend time alone together. She could talk to him without Leia’s astute perception and beg him not to tell anyone of their tryst in the carriage.

There was also a part of Rey that knew eventually she would have to get married and while there were pieces of Ben Solo that scared her, there were also pieces of him that she knew she could trust. When she’d first met him all those years ago on the night she’d presented, he had helped her in his own way. And he had helped her in the carriage when she’d begged for him, and he’d calmed her with reading when she was delirious with want, and put her to sleep instead of taking advantage of her once more.

He was not to be trusted with many things, but Rey knew that he would be a good mate. She hated that she was an Omega, reduced to a mess of hormones four times every year, but she had faith in the intuition that part of her possessed. And right now, that intuition was telling her that the Marquess was hers.

Leia was silent for a moment and then continued, “Regardless, I am still her chaperone. You may read to her after supper but she needs rest now.”

Ben gave Rey a small smile and lifted her hand from the bed, kissing her knuckles. “Then I look forward to supper.” He set her hand down with the utmost gentleness and stood from the bed.

Leia narrowed her eyes, watching as Ben strode from the room and as soon as the door was shut behind him, Leia took his place on the bed next to Rey. “Are you certain about this, Rachel?”

Rey was unsure of what she’d done to cause Leia such displeasure at the thought of becoming her son’s betrothed. Perhaps it was her parentage that caused Leia such upset, but none of their peers need know that she was not the true daughter of a Duke. “I am sorry it distresses you so to think of me as being your daughter in the future…”

Leia shook her head quickly and grabbed Rey’s hand. “It is not you, my sweet. You are already like a daughter to me. But as you must be aware, my son spent many years in France under King Palpatine’s influence. It is him that I do not trust.”

Rey nodded, she had seen first hand what the influence of Palpatine had done to Ben Solo. He had not harmed her when she was a young girl, though he had been more than capable of doing so. Instead, he had warned her of her impending heat and sent her off to hide. When she thought of it this way, the Omega inside purred at how well he’d taken care of her, even back then. “I understand, but he is gentle with me. I trust him.”

Leia’s eyebrows knotted in worry, but she said nothing else. “For now, just rest. I have some other matters I need to attend to.”

Rey nodded and settled into the sheets, her body stiff and sore and it wasn’t until Leia picked the blankets off the floor and tucked them in around Rey that she finally felt herself able to relax -- Ben’s scent wrapping around her like the warmest hug.

*****

No sooner had Rey fallen asleep than Leia was closing the door of the bedroom behind her and walking quickly down the halls with purpose. She located Ben’s study easily enough and was pleased to find it unoccupied. Sitting herself at the desk, she opened the drawer and pulled out a piece of parchment. With the quill and ink on the desk, she quickly began writing a letter.

_ My Dearest Brother, _

_ I regret to tell you that I have failed you terribly. As you must be aware, Benjamin returned to London for the season. I know not what his plans are. When we tried to speak to him on the matter, he would not disclose any information. I fear that he may be here under Palpatine’s influence. _

_ But that is not the only reason that I write to you. Benjamin has made it clear that he intends to court Rey and she has accepted. I do not believe she is thinking clearly and that her Omega intuition is clouding her judgement. I have tried to talk her out of this decision and she has remained steadfast in her desire to proceed with the courtship. _

_ I must insist that you come and try to talk sense into her. Under no circumstances should we trust Benjamin (you know this too well yourself). We are currently staying at Ben’s home in Surrey but we shall be back in London in two days’ time. _

_ I ask once again for you to help this girl. If either Ben or Palpatine have any idea who she is, then we are already doomed. She must be protected at all costs. _

_ With deepest love, _

_ Your sister Leia Organa-Solo _

Leia quickly folded the letter and used Ben’s own seal to close it as she had none of her own here. She jotted down the address where she’d last know her brother to be, hoping beyond hope that he was still there.

Rising from the chair, she rushed out of the room and found a young chambermaid. “Miss, I must ask that you bring this to town right away. I need it delivered quickly and with discretion. You are not to tell the Marquess what I have written or to whom.” She placed five shillings in the young girl’s hand -- enough to ensure secrecy but not enough to inspire curiosity.

The girl nodded her agreement, placing the money and the letter in the pocket of her apron before rushing towards the door. Once she was gone, Leia silently prayed that her brother would come to her rescue yet again.

*****

When time for supper rolled around, Rey was bathed thoroughly and dressed in a white gown with blue florets. The maid braided her hair up and secured it with many little pins and Rey wondered if this would be her lady’s maid if she were to marry the Marquess. The thought made Rey’s cheeks flush with a mix of embarrassment and pleasure and she chalked it all up to her lingering hormones.

“You look lovely,” the maid said as she finished her hair. “I do not even need to pinch your cheeks, madam. Your flush is so pretty.”

Rey’s cheeks grew even warmer as she thanked the maid and rose from her chaise. “Thank you.”

As she was ushered through the house to the dining room, Rey’s stomach was filled with butterflies. Was she really so nervous about eating with the Marquess? No, she was nervous about eating with the man she was courting. Part of her questioned her sanity in accepting his courtship because in most cases, it led to marriage.

She had not agreed to  _ marry _ him, she told herself. She had only agreed to become better acquainted with him in order to make up her mind. There were no laws against choosing not to marry a man she entered courtship with. And if courting Benjamin Solo ruined her reputation, well, she still had Pembrokeshire to retreat back to.

When she arrived in the dining room, Ben and Han and Leia were all waiting for her. The men rose from their seats until Rey had taken her place. As soon as she was seated, the maids began setting bowls of soup in front of each party.

“We shall leave for London again in the morning, if it pleases you Rachel.” Leia informed her.

“So soon?” Ben asked, raising an eyebrow.

“The season has only begun in London, dear,” Leia explained. “And perhaps Rey wishes to fully enjoy her first season.”

Rey could not really be bothered with the socializing aspects of the London season. She didn’t care for parties or dancing. Nor did she care to sit around doing cross-stitching with Leia and Kay. If she was honest, she would much rather be curled up with a book or taking a walk in the woods. “I have no strong opinion on the matter,” she answered and Han snorted.

“All women have a strong opinion,” Han argued. “You better learn that fast son. Trust me, she has an opinion and if you choose the option that goes against it, you will regret it.”

Underneath the table came a sound that was distinctly like Leia stomping her foot and if Han’s “ow” was any indication, the noise had been deliberate. “You cannot tell me you approve of this courtship.”

Han shrugged and scooted his chair further away from his wife, where she could not smash his foot under the table again. “Trying to keep them apart will do no good. That certainly didn’t work for us, did it, my lady?” He cast her a look that made Leia blush despite her temper.

Ben chose to ignore his parents’ flirtatious banter and turned to Rey, “Would you like to stay for another day or two? I could show you around the grounds now that you are feeling well. I hunted the quail for tonight’s supper this afternoon. Maybe you’d like to see where they nest, little bird?”

Rey blushed, but she truly would. As lenient as Ben Kenobi had been raising her, he hadn’t allowed her into the male aspects of society such as hunting. Whenever he’d gone, no matter how much she’d begged, she’d been forced to stay behind and practice piano or dance. “That would please me very much, My Lord.” Though Rey could feel Leia’s displeasure over her desire to stay, her wish to see the Marquess’ hunting grounds took precedence. 

“Good. It is settled then. We shall return to London in three days time,” Ben announced. “But mother, you are free to leave earlier if you wish.”

Both Rey and Ben knew that Leia would not leave them alone in the house unsupervised. Even with their courtship, it would hardly be appropriate for Rey to stay with no other guests in the home. 

Supper continued in relative silence -- Leia was still fuming over the fact that their return to London would be delayed and Rey feeling too awkward stuck in the middle of a tempestuous family dynamic.

When the meal had finished, they retired to the parlor room where a buttler lit a fire and everyone sat around in chairs. Rey made herself comfortable as Ben retrieved the book he’d been reading her.    
  
In the corner, Leia worked on her needlepoint while Han nursed his after dinner drink (or three). Rey had to admit that it was very cozy -- the company and the atmosphere and especially Ben’s deep voice as he read the last few chapters in the book. If this was what married life would be like, perhaps she would say yes if Ben were to ask.

It was a startling thought when only days ago she’d been so vehemently opposed to having anything to do with the Marquess of Bristol. She knew that a large part of her developing feelings were due to the lingering hormones in her system. Those hormones that told her to find comfort, a nest and a mate -- three things she has here in Ben’s home.

When it was time to go to bed, Rey was still contemplating all of these thoughts as the maid undressed her to her chamise, wondering if her feelings would change once more, after she was gone from his home and his presence.

****

The next few days passed in a blur. On the first day, Ben had let Rey snoop into his private book collection. He had books on every topic imaginable: history and medicine and science and to Rey’s delight, a large fiction section.

She’d gone through them with a fine tooth comb, making piles of ones she’d read before and once she wanted to read and Ben had been kind enough to let her take as many as she pleased -- going as far as sending for a trunk to have them loaded into.

Suddenly, Rey was looking forward to the end of the season so she could cuddle during winter and read story after story to her heart’s content.

The next day, their last day at Ben’s home, he had done as he promised: taking her on horse for a ride through his fields. He pointed out many different buildings and plants and Rey was shocked with how much he knew about  _ everything _ . He could answer any question she asked, with patience and amusement, and Rey had trouble reconciling this kind man with the boxer she had seen in France.

When they reached the edge of the woods on his lands, Ben slid off the horse easily and helped Rey down. He took her hand as he guided her into the woods for a leisurely walk and did not once let go. 

“What are you doing?” Rey asked, watching as Ben began parting shrubs.

“Looking for quails’ nests,” Ben told her.

“Birds nest in trees, silly,” Rey said, but looked in the bushes alongside him.

“Not quails,” Ben informed her. “They make nests on the ground like pretty little Omegas.” The smirk he gave her made her insides melt but then he was continuing, “Found one. Look.”

Rey looked in the bush that Ben leaned over and sure enough there was a nest full of little quails eggs. “Can we eat them?”

“Would you like them, little bird?” he asked, letting go of her hand for the first time in minutes as he stooped to scoop them up. “Do you like quails’ eggs?”

“Oh yes,” Rey nodded. “When I lived in France, there was a bakery that had buns with hard boiled quails’ eggs inside.”

“Ah, so then you did live in France,” Ben commented, trying to keep his voice light.

“Oh very briefly,” Rey tried to lie, but it was too late. She was supposed to keep her childhood secret so as to not raise suspicion of her true parentage. Not that she knew anything beside the fact that Ben Kenobi was not her true father.

Ben hummed as though he didn’t really believe her, but said nothing else as he stood and handed her a clutch of quails’ eggs. “Keep these safe, little bird.”

She nodded, and held the eggs as steadily as possible the entire ride back to his home. 

As worried as she was about letting slip a small truth of her past, Rey was pleasantly surprised at dinner to find that the chef had baked the eggs into little rolls of bread.

*****

The journey back to London was long. Now that Rey’s heat was over, the need for protection had been lifted and Rey was stuck in one carriage with Leia while Han and Ben rode in the other. 

Leia seemed to have a great deal on her mind and did not speak to Rey much throughout the ride back. Rey tried to read one of the books Ben gave her, but had trouble focusing over the thought that perhaps Leia was cross with her.

When they got back to the London house, Leia was the first out of the carriage as the staff gathered at the door to greet them. Rey might have missed him, standing at the back of the small group, but his brown robes and beard were far too recognizable as she climbed out of the carriage.

He smiled as soon as he saw he and she rushed up the steps, throwing her arms around him in a hug that was very unladylike. “Luke!”

She was too wrapped up in her excitement to notice Ben’s anger at the arrival of their guest.

*****

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh. Luke is back and Ben is not happy. I wonder why...
> 
> Follow me on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/jeeaysee0925). I post my update schedule every Sunday if you're curious when the next chapter will be posted!


	7. An Alpha's Proposal

Ben’s first thought was that Rey had no thought in propriety as she wrapped her arms around Luke and practically leapt into his arms. If she was not careful, one might think she was sweet on the old man. 

For Luke’s part, he did a fine job in keeping them both steady and returned the hug with less enthusiasm. Even if Rey did not think about others’ opinions, it was clear that Luke had better sense than to embrace an unmarried woman. When Rey pulled away, she beamed at him. “Luke! What brings you to London?”

Ben was silently fuming from where he stood near his carriage and Han just missed grabbing his arm as he stormed forward. He pushed his way past his mother and all of the servants to reach his uncle and grabbed for Rey, pushing her behind him protectively. “Yes, I think we would all like to know the answer to that question.”

Rey nudged Ben out of the way, having no patience for an Alpha stand-off. “Relax. He is your uncle. Is it so strange that he would visit?”

Before Ben had a chance to answer, Leia was ushering everyone into the townhouse. “I feel spent after such a long ride and I’m eager for afternoon tea.”

“Oh, me too,” Rey said, following Luke inside and clinging to his side like a puppy dog. Ben wondered how Rey came to view his uncle so fondly. Had Luke been so close to Ben Kenobi that he had become so well acquainted with her?

He wanted to pull Rey away from Luke, but knew that it was not a good idea. He had tried once already to put distance between Rey and Luke and she had only chastised him for it. Ben clenched his fist and tried not to stomp after them in his anger.

He  _ hated _ his Uncle Luke, but their relationship had not always been so difficult. 

Ben’s parents had known he would be an Alpha from a young age. He was quick to be angry or jealous as a child and made no qualms about picking fights with friends in order to assert his dominance. He was well aware of the whispers in the halls of his childhood home: he was arrogant and dangerous and wild like an animal.

When he had finally presented and it had been confirmed that he was an Alpha, Leia had sent him away to live with Luke. His hormones had been all over the place. By then, he had picked so many fights with Han that his father avoided him. He’d broken too many windows and vases and caused both of his parents such shame in front of the company that they got rid of him the first chance they got.

Living with Luke was not so bad. His uncle was a strange breed of human -- he moved from place to place and had very few friends, but he was patient in a way that his own father never had been. Luke rarely got angry or violent, an unusual demeanor for Alphas, and taught Ben a lot. He learned to hunt from Luke and how to fish. Luke had nurtured his interest in books and learning -- encouraged Ben to use his mind instead of his brawn.

But then he started down a path that Luke had not agreed with -- involving himself in politics and speaking about matters that would have been considered high treason against the Crown. The final straw with Luke had been because Ben had begun attending secret meetings with like-minded fellows who viewed themselves as modern-day Guy Fawkeses. The last time he had spoken directly to his Uncle, it had ended in a fist fight.

When Ben left Luke, he could not return to his childhood home. He knew instinctively that he would not be welcomed there. Ben had turned to one of the men from his political group -- Snoke -- who would take him under his wing and bring him to France in a bid to take down the English monarchy once and for all.

And now, Luke was in his home, pretending not to even  _ notice _ Ben and it angered him so deeply that he had to fight not to break something.

“Rachel, darling, go freshen up for tea. You too, Benjamin.” Leia commanded and grabbed her brother’s arm, leading him into the parlor room.

Rey nodded and begrudgingly let the chambermaids carry her things upstairs -- the heavy trunk of books Ben had gifted her included. He wanted her for only as long as it took for her to climb the stairs and then turned back to Leia.

His eyes narrowed in suspicion at his mother as she closed the door. Things suddenly started to click -- his mother was behind Luke’s arrival. She had not seemed at all surprised to find her brother on her doorstep, nor had she been as excited as she should have been to see him after what was probably many months. His appearance also explained why Leia had been so eager to leave his Surrey home -- she’d wanted to make it back in time for her brother’s arrival.

“LUKE! You cannot be serious!” Leia’s astonished exclamation was loud enough to be heard in the hall and Ben leaned in closer to the door to try to listen in on the conversation but by then, the voices lowered back to whispers. He strained his ears to listen, wondering what his uncle had said that had shocked his mother so deeply. No distinguishable words could be determined, but he could infer the tone of the hushed conversation -- anger.

He had to back away once he heard footsteps move closer and he retreated quickly towards the stairs. He smelled Rey before he saw her and she came flouncing down the stairs in a new dress, a slinky white thing with an empire waist and blue ribbon tied just below her bosom and a matching pair of light blue gloves.

His jaw clenched. She’d dressed up for  _ Luke _ . There was an overwhelming urge to drag her off then and there -- mount her and claim her for his. He was struggling to keep his Alpha rage under control as she skipped down the stairs. “Ben! Where is Luke?”

Ben had to grind his teeth together to keep from barking at her to go upstairs and change into something… less angelic. And the first thing out of her mouth was an inquiry as to his uncle. Ben had half a mind to find Luke and rip him apart for taking his Omega’s attention away.

Before he could undoubtedly put his foot in his mouth -- for the sensible part of him knew that Rey would not behave as a meek Omega if he told her what to do -- the parlor door opened and Leia and Luke exited.

“Oh, there you are. Tea is ready,” Leia smiled and if Ben hadn’t overheard bits and pieces of her conversation with Luke, he would have no idea that his mother was upset. That was how good Leia Organa-Solo was at pretending. 

Luke locked eyes with Ben, his body stiffening as he easily picked up on the scent of an Alpha with his hackles raised. Rey did not realize Ben’s anger -- if she had she wouldn’t be skipping so carefree towards the parlor. Ben glared back at Luke, stomping his way towards the room and quickly seating himself next to Rey. He’d be damned if he was going to let anyone else near her.

“Why are you in London?” Rey asked Luke almost immediately. Leia took tea often enough with Rey, Ben ventured, for she knew to add almost three full teaspoons of sugar before handing the cup and saucer to the younger woman. 

“I came for the season,” Luke joked. Ben wondered if he’d ever taken part in the culture of the ton. He changed subjects quickly and Ben could pick up on the deflection more easily than Rey could apparently. “How are you liking London?”

Rey shrugged, “I do not much care for it. London is noisy and smelly.”

Luke laughed, “You miss Pembroke then?”

“Yes, very much. Leia has been a perfect hostess, but I have already grown tired of parties and afternoon teas and needlework,” Rey explained, sounding exasperated just  _ speaking _ about such activities.

“What do you do to keep your mind occupied in Pembrokeshire, Rachel?” Leia pressed, the corners of her lips lifting in amusement as she handed one last cup of tea off to Ben.

“Read books or go for walks,” Rey listed off.

“You can do all of that here in London,” Leia laughed.

“Not by myself,” Rey pointed out. “There are always people everywhere. People talking about me at parties or judging me for taking a walk in the countryside or telling me what I should or should not read.”

Leia clicked her tongue in annoyance, “Ben Kenobi gave you too much freedom.”

Rey smiled, “He was a doting father.”

“With a spoiled daughter,” Luke added teasingly.

Ben watched on as everyone carried on conversation so easily with Rey. For someone who claimed to like being alone, she certainly seemed to have a way of charming those around her. “Speaking of,” Ben began. “Why were none of us aware that Ben Kenobi had a daughter?”

Ben did not miss the uneasy glance that his mother gave Luke. His uncle, however, was not one to take the bait. “He was an Alpha. Is it so surprising that he would have bedded many women in his time? And that a chambermaid would have hidden herself away if she had grown heavy with his child?”

“You are an Alpha. Have you bedded many women in your time?” Ben asked, raising his eyebrow as he brought his cup of tea to his lips. His uncle was widely known to be a celibate and it was always a wonder to Ben how his uncle was able to deny his urges.

“Benjamin! That is hardly appropriate conversation in front of Rachel!” Leia scolded.

Rey seemed to finally be picking up on the fact that Ben and Luke did not get along. She frowned at Ben and scolded him as well, “Stop being so disagreeable.”

Ben folded his arms across his chest but decided to stop pushing Luke’s buttons. The last thing he wanted was Rey getting cross with him.

“Like a lap dog,” Luke smirked, giving Ben a smug look. Before Ben could even think of a retort, Luke had turned his attention back to Rey. “Your time in London has not been at all enjoyable?”

“Not particularly,” Rey agreed. “I liked Ben’s house in Surrey. I can see why he chose not to keep a townhouse in London.”

“You have grown quite close to my nephew, it seems,” Luke commented, and he was unable to keep the disappointment out of his voice.

If Rey picked up on it, she chose to ignore it. “He is kind to me. He let me borrow an entire trunk full of his books.”

Luke shook his head and chuckled, “The devil himself could charm his way to your heart with a book.”

Rey blushed and shook her head, “That is not true. I would like to think I am a good judge of character. It would take more than a book!”

“Oh a book and a loaf of fresh baked bread,” Luke continued the teasing.

“Only if the bread is buttered,” Rey laughed and picked up a finger sandwich, munching on it cutely.

Ben felt uneasy at the playful dynamic between his Uncle and Rey. On Rey’s part, he thought that it was innocent enough. But there was something flirtatious in the way that Luke was speaking to Rey.

When he was finished teasing, Luke asked, “So will this be your last season in London?”

Rey sighed, “I do hope so. I am dreadfully bored and cannot last another season.” 

“So then you have found yourself a suitable beau?” Luke asked carefully. His eyes darted over to Ben.

He knew that was the point of the season for young unmarried women. They all wished to find a decent suitor -- the richer and handsomer, the better. He could not imagine that was what had forced Rey’s hand. She seemed to detest the entire notion of the season and the ton and seemed perfectly happy by herself. No, he did not think that she had much interest in finding a husband. If she was here, it was to make her existence known. And that had to be at the behest of someone other than Rey. His mother, perhaps?

But why was she parading Rey around? What did she have to gain in doing so? Was it simply a favor for Ben Kenobi? Or did Leia know more about who Rachel Kenobi was than Ben had originally thought? A million questions were tumbling around inside of his head that he had not even noticed that all eyes were on him.

“Ben?” Rey asked, looking at him with furrowed brows.

“Yes?” He shook the thoughts away and focused on his Omega.

“I was just telling Luke that I intend to court you,” Rey said, a flush spreading across her cheeks. Ben thought it was sweet that she was so shy in telling others of their relationship. He could not have helped the way his chest puffed with pride at her acknowledgement. 

“Yes,” he agreed, and reached over to take her gloved hand.

“Really,” Luke said, his lips pursed as if the news was more than he could handle. Would the Alpha temper that Luke tried so desperately to hide finally unearth itself? “I guess that makes this all a little more complicated.”

“Luke,” Leia warned, giving him a look.

He ignored his sister’s glare as he continued. “You asked me why I came to London, Rey. I came to see you.”

“Me?” Rey sounded both thrilled and confused at his admission. “Why?”

Luke took a deep breath and then gave Rey a soft smile. “I came to make an offer of marriage, Rey.”

*****

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't kill me :)


	8. An Alpha's Belonging

Everything happened so quickly that Rey would have been powerless to stop it even if she had the foresight. At first, Rey was not certain what was happening. One minute, her brain was working to process Luke’s words and the next, she heard a fearsome growl coming from beside her before Ben launched himself across the table at his uncle.

“Benjamin!” Leia, shot out of her chair as Ben landed the first punch straight into the side of Luke’s jaw. “Stop!”

Ben either did not hear or did not care to listen, as he tackled his uncle onto the floor. The pummeling continued and Rey screamed once she saw how red and bloody Ben’s fists had become. “Stop! You’re going to kill him!” Rey shouted, rushing forward.

“Rachel! Stay back,” Leia warned and Rey froze.

Ben was growling and baring his teeth and she knew better than to get in the way of an angry Alpha. But Luke was her friend and she did not want to see harm come to him on her account. “Benjamin Solo,” Rey gritted out. “You will stop this at once. I will never forgive you if you kill him.”

He turned to look over his shoulder at her, and his face softened only when he noticed how distressed she seemed. That had provided more than enough time for all of the men who had rushed into the room, Han included, to pull Ben off of Luke. By the time his fight came back to him, he was already out the door.

Leia ran to the door and locked it and then hurried back to her brother’s side, kneeling beside him and helping him to sit up, “Luke!”

“I-I am fine, Leia,” he insisted, wiping at the rapidly swelling cut on his left cheek.

“You are a fool,” Leia admonished. “I told you that he would murder you for asking.” 

There were small smiles on both of their faces as they exchanged fond expressions and suddenly Rey felt like she was intruding on a private moment between the twins. She looked around the room, trying to give them a modicum of privacy. Her hands nervously brushed at the front of her dress, which was covered in tepid tea and crushed fairy cake, as she eyed the table that was now lying in a splintered pile under Leia’s embroidered tablecloth.

“Perhaps we should talk about this some other time,” Leia suggested. “When Ben is not around.”

Rey cleared her throat and asked carefully, “Was that some kind of jest?” If so, it was a rather strange one, but she was learning that this family was anything but normal.

Instead of answering, Leia hefted her brother up and walked him over to a plush chair near one of the tall windows lining the walls of the parlor. “I will go fetch some basilicum powder for your injuries, brother. Perhaps the two of you should talk while I am gone,” she suggested, raising her eyebrows in a manner that left little room for argument. No one argued with Leia Organa-Solo except perhaps her husband and only then in good humor.

As soon as she opened the door, Rey could hear Ben’s angry curses coming from somewhere on one of the upper floors of the house. When the door had closed once more, she shuffled towards Luke awkwardly. “Sit,” he said, motioning to another chair, not far from his.

Rey sat, folding her hands in her lap and waited for Luke to speak. When he did not, she raised her eyes and noticed him looking down into the busy London streets. She wondered if he could see much because as the seconds passed, his eyes became more swollen and puffed.

“My offer must have surprised you,” he said, turning to her finally.

“Well,” Rey blushed. “Yes. But it was just a poorly timed joke, surely?”

Luke shook his head, “I know I do not have much to offer, Rey. I have forsaken the Skywalker fortune in search of a more peaceful life. And I would not be an attentive or doting husband, I am afraid.”

A strange feeling had worked its way into Rey’s chest, something like anguish as the sound of toppling furniture could be heard from overhead. She knew that Ben was furious, she could smell it and feel it in the air. Just entertaining this conversation would have been a betrayal to Ben. 

Luke seemed to notice the unease on Rey’s face and he asked, “Do you love another?”

Rey shook her head. She did not love Benjamin Solo. She had only just begun to tolerate him. And yet, the thought of marrying another man made her stomach twist in discomfort. Was it just the last vestiges of her heat-addled Omega brain clinging to the Alpha who had brought her comfort in her time of need?

“Listen, Rey, my nephew is not who you think he is,” Luke began.

Rey wanted to tell him that she knew exactly who Benjamin Solo was. Kylo Ren. The Marquess. She’d met him back then and she’d heard the rumors since. But another part of her knew that he could also be gentle and considerate and that he did not deserve to be talked about behind his back like this. “I know who he is, Luke,” Rey said, lifting her chin. “He is not a perfect man, but I have yet to meet one who is.”

Luke’s lips quirked up in a smirk, “You have always been a spitfire, Rey. A girl with her own mind and her own desires. I do not wish to see that taken from you, my dear.”

“Nor do I wish to have it taken from me,” Rey replied.

“I would never dream of taking it from you,” Luke promised. “If you were to marry me, it would be a marriage of companionship. You would not be tethered to your designation. I would sire no pups with you and I would leave you to your own devices in Pembrokeshire.”

Rey’s heart leapt into her throat at Luke’s words. She had not wished to come to London because that had meant a betrothal and a marriage and shortly after pups. She would be expected to become a lady and a mother and gone would be the days when she could walk along the rocky cliffs of Wales, collecting wild violets and weaving them into crowns. She would have a husband who would forbid it and responsibilities to her home. Things Rey had never wanted or asked for.

But a marriage to Luke meant that nothing would change. She could live out the rest of her days with no expectations because no man -- no  _ Alpha _ would tell her what to do or how to behave.

“Really?” she asked in a whisper of disbelief. 

With a soft smile and an even softer nod, Luke said, “I promise.”

“Yes,” Rey said eagerly, perhaps more than a little fearful that he would take the offer back. “Yes, I will marry you then.” She did not stop to wonder what was in it for him. Perhaps she would have, if she’d had more time before Leia burst into the room, a brown glass bottle clutched in on hand and a roll of linen in the other. 

“I would just like to enjoy one normal day,” Leia sighed as she got to work mending her brother’s injuries.

*****

By the time dinner rolled around, everyone in the house, staff included, had heard of Rey’s engagement to Luke Skywalker. She imagined that if the staff knew, the news had made its way into the kitchens of every home in London and by tomorrow, perhaps it would even be in the society section of the newspaper.

Rey wanted to be happy -- she had been promised everything she had ever wanted in life. And yet it did not go unnoticed that Ben Solo was absent from dinner and that made her chest her. ‘It is only a bit of guilt,’ she told herself as she tucked into that evening’s first dish -- a lovely green pea soup. But it had only tasted like ash in her mouth when she’d tried to swallow the first spoonful.

She hadn’t wanted to hurt Ben, but she also had not promised herself to him. The only thing she agreed to was courtship and Rey had known girls who had courted two or three different men before finally settling on a husband. Besides, she should not allow herself to feel guilty when Ben had turned Luke into the swollen purple nightmare sitting across the table from her.

When the table had finally been cleared, a melancholy had settled over Rey which had prevented her from enjoying her meal (something that even Luke seemed perturbed by). When she climbed the stairs, her body felt heavy and it took great effort to undress, even with the assistance of a chambermaid, who had insisted on brushing out every tangle of Rey’s hair before allowing her to slip into bed.

Her candle had scarcely been blown out when Rey heard a very strange noise coming from her somewhere in her room. She sat up in bed, blinking as she tried to make her eyes adjust to the darkness. Her eyes darted around the room and then she saw it -- the furthest window from her bed swung open and a dark figure pushed its way through.

Her bedroom was on the second floor, an unlikely place for an intruder to enter, but that did not appear to hinder whoever this man was. She reached over, grabbing hold of the gold filigree candlestick holder and raised it above her head as the figure approached. “Whoever you are, I have a weapon,” she announced.

“Rey, it is only me,” came a whisper in return.

“Ben?” she set the candlestick holder aside and crawled towards the edge of her bed. “What are you doing here?”

He moved close, until he was standing over her at the edge of the bed, looking down at her. She could see him clearly, now that her eyes had adjusted, and she thought that he looked almost like an angel standing there in the moonlight. “Is it true?”

“What?” Rey asked, entranced by how pale and milky his skin looked.

“You intend to marry my uncle?” This whisper was harsher than the one before and when Rey looked in his eyes, she saw anger and confusion and most of all,  _ hurt. _

“Yes.” She couldn’t lie to him.

“ _ Why _ ?” he asked, his voice desperate and pained and pleading.

Rey couldn’t look at the pain on his face as she answered, “Because it would be a simple marriage. A convenient marriage. I could continue my life in Pembrokeshire. There would be no complications, no children…”

“Is that what you want?” Ben asked, and his voice was no longer a whisper. His tone was hard and angry in a way that made Rey return her attention once more to his face. He gripped the posts of her bed, his arms spread wide, as he leaned his entire body until it loomed over her.

“Yes,” she answered, and though she’d intended for it to come out strong and confident, it had sounded weak to her own ears.

Ben lowered his face towards her, “You do not wish to know your husband? To feel satisfied in your heats?”

She shook her head, even as she felt a wave of arousal come over her. Just because her  _ body _ wanted it, did not mean she wanted it. And yet, she could not help the way her chest rose, arching up to meet his or the way her lips parted, begging for a kiss.

“I think you do, Rey,” he said and leaned down to capture her lips in a kiss. His hands left the bedposts and wrapped around her waist, hauling her against his chest.

Rey could think of nothing but how soft his lips were and how strong his arms and chest were. Her Omega preened at the kiss, at his strength, at the memory of what he’d done to Luke for her sake. But Rey was more than her Omega, so she brought her hands up and pushed Ben away, panting as she tried to take control of the situation once more. “I do not.” As if to prove a point she scrambled further away from him, back towards the head of her bed.

Ben did not look deterred by her as he grabbed her by the wrists and hoisted her off the bed. She thought to kick or scream, but she did not. Instead, she let him set her on the floor, his hands still wrapped around hers and then he stared at her and she could not determine the look behind his eyes. Finally, he spoke, “You are mine, Rey.”

She shook her head, “No. I have already agreed to marry--”

“Do  _ not _ say his name,” Ben said through gritted teeth.

“Then do not speak to me like I am property to be had,” Rey shot back, yanking her hands away from his and letting them fall limply at her side.

“You are mine as much as I am already yours,” Ben said. “As much as we have always belonged to each other, Little Bird.”

“What are you--?” Rey began, brows furrowed. And then it dawned on her, “You remember?”

“How could I forget?” Ben asked, bemused. “You were a fiery little thing then too. The only person I have ever laid eyes on who was brave enough to steal from Snoke.”

Rey’s mind was whirling as she blinked up at him, “You did not say anything.”

“Nor did you.” Ben shot back, an eyebrow raised.

She looked away. Their first encounter had been an embarrassing one and she was certain that he did not want her to know of his days in Paris. Perhaps he would have been angry at her for bringing it up or perhaps she was afraid he would not remember that night. 

Perhaps there was some reason why she’d held onto that memory with such fervor.

“Do you believe it was a coincidence that your first heat happened the night you first saw me?” Ben asked and he was once more looming over her.

Rey swallowed. She felt scared. She wanted to flee, but something kept her rooted to the spot as she watched his face. 

Her tongue darted out to wet her lips and his eyes fell briefly to her mouth before rising again. “Do you believe it was a coincidence that it happened again after being in my presence for so little time all these years later?”

One part of her brain did not understand what he was implying -- that he had triggered her heat both times? And yet, the other part of her brain was crying  _ Yes Yes Yes _ because she knew it was true.

He continued, “You scented yourself with me that day, Rey. When you pricked your finger and I sucked it, I saw you touch your gland. Even if you do not understand it yet, I do.”

Rey’s breath caught in her throat as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him once more. There was a truth to his words, one that unlocked something inside of her and suddenly so many things made sense. She wanted him to hold her like this forever, to kiss her and whisper these romantic notions to her every night as they lay in bed, happy and sated.

“Rey?” A knock came from the door. Leia’s voice. “Are you asleep yet?”

It felt like cold water had been dumped over her. “N-no…”

Ben released her and, quickly and quietly, escaped her room through the same window he’d come through. She rushed to close it behind him just as Leia opened the door to let herself in.

“I wanted to talk to you, woman to woman,” Leia began, sitting on Rey’s bed and patting the spot next to her.

“Okay,” Rey agreed, perching herself awkwardly. 

She saw Leia take a deep breath, and then, as if she’d smelled something, she quickly glanced around the room. When she seemed satisfied that no one else was around, she said, “Are you certain you wish to marry Luke?”

“You do not want me to?” Rey asked in return. She was not certain of anything anymore. She needed time to think and Leia’s presence was not helping.

“I want you to be happy,” Leia said.

Rey doubted very much that was the truth. The older woman had made it clear that she did not approve of a courtship with her son. That thought made Rey blink in confusion because truly, what did happiness have to do with Ben Solo? “Okay.”

“Just remember that you are allowed to change your mind, dear. Nothing is set in stone until you walk down the aisle,” Leia said. With that, she stood and patted Rey’s head, “You get some sleep, sweetness.”

She nodded again and let Leia tuck her in like a child. “Goodnight.”

Leia smiled softly, “Let us hope for a less eventful day tomorrow.”

Rey returned the smile as Leia picked up her candle and headed towards the door. When darkness filled the room once more, Rey thought that she would very much like an uneventful day.

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this picture was like a healthy dose of anti-nausea XD


	9. An Alpha's Gift

Rey was aware when she woke up the next morning that word would have already spread of her engagement to Luke Skywalker. Her only saving grace was that her engagement would save her from the necessity of attending every social event in London for the foreseeable future. She didn’t think she could handle the way everyone would whisper and talk about her. It was one thing to marry someone so much older than she was, but she also knew the reputation Luke had as a strange and nomadic perpetual bachelor. Not only was it an unusual match, but he had no money to speak for in his favor. People would wonder why they were marrying and she was sure that there were already plenty of nasty rumors floating about high society about her decision.

Rey knew the truth and she knew that she was lucky that Luke thought so highly of her that he was saving her from an overbearing and unhappy marriage. The truth was that Rey enjoyed her freedom too much and could not bear the thought of being confined to a certain role, whether that be doting wife or loving mother. She was too wild for such things.

As her chambermaid moved about the room, opening curtains and stoking the fire, Rey stretched languidly in bed as her mind drifted to Benjamin Solo and the way his hands felt around her waist the night before. Then she remembered his romantic words about how they belonged to one another and she had to turn her face into her pillow to hide the flush taking over her complexion.

When she finally roused from bed and began to dress, she wondered where Ben was right now. She thought that he would be off licking his wounds somewhere -- he hadn’t taken the news of her engagement to Luke well. But when she walked down to the drawing room, she was surprised to find not only Leia, Han and Luke, but Ben as well. 

All sitting down to a civilized breakfast like nothing had happened the previous day. And Rey might have believed that if not for Luke’s black eye and split lip.

“Ben,” Rey started, surprised to find him sipping at a cup of tea like he was a welcomed guest in the home.

“Good morning, Lady Rachel,” Ben greeted calmly and again Rey wondered if she’d just dreamed up everything that had happened the night before. Was it all just a girlish dream that Ben had snuck into her chambers and held her close? “I came to apologize to Luke for my behavior yesterday.”

“You… did?” Rey asked, her eyebrows drawing together in confusion.

“Yes. You said you would never forgive me if I hurt him,” Ben reminded her. “You will forgive me, I hope, my lady?”

“I… well, yes. I suppose,” Rey agreed as Leia motioned towards the empty seat across from Luke. She sat down in the proffered seat and plucked a cake from a tray, setting it on her plate as she watched Ben through her eyelashes. “And what of you Luke? Did you forgive Ben?”

Luke grunted in response and stuffed his mouth with a piece of bread covered in preserves. Rey smirked and when she met Ben’s eyes this time, she could see he was also amused by the response. When Luke finished chewing, he swallowed the bread down with a large gulp of tea and spoke, “Leia has agreed to accompany us back to Pembrokeshire. Would you like that?”

Rey’s face lit up at the notion and she replied with a mouth full of cake, sending crumbs across the table, “Yes!” 

Leia gasped and Han snickered as Rey quickly reached for her napkin to wipe her mouth and the sound of her swallowing her remaining bite was so loud that half of London must have heard it. “I want to go!”

“I have not been in many years,” Ben commented. “I would like to see it through your eyes.”

“You should join us, Ben,” Rey suggested happily as she stuffed another forkful of cake into her mouth.

“Rey, I am certain Ben has better things to do than cross the country to-” Luke began only to be interrupted by his nephew.

“I would like that very much, thank you.” The smug look that Ben gave Luke was completely missed by Rey who was happily sipping at her cup of tea while the exchange occurred. “It is quite far, is it not?”

Rey nodded. “Oh yes, over a week by carriage and that is if we do not stop along the way for visits.” She eyed Leia as she said this because on the trip from Pembroke to London, Leia had insisted on social visits to her friends which had ranged from a simple overnight to over two weeks. While her backside had been thankful for the plentiful breaks from a bumpy carriage ride, Rey was eager to return to Pembroke now. If it were up to her, she would much rather travel non-stop to get there.

“We shall have to stop overnight, Rey,” Leia pointed out, amused by the younger woman’s tenacity. “I cannot sleep in a carriage.” Rey had the decency to blush at being called out in return and shared a shy look with Ben as she finished eating her breakfast.

When the table had been cleared, Han requested a map of the country and with Ben and Luke’s begrudging help, the menfolk began charting a course for the trip. Leia and Rey were spared from the ensuing argument over whether it was best to travel north into Wales or go to Bristol and take a boat across the channel to Pembroke.

Instead, Rey was tasked with overseeing the packing of her belongings, which turned into an argument all on its own -- Rey would much rather pack the books that Ben had loaned her but both Leia and her maids insisted that it was much more important to bring her full dress with her though Rey had her doubts of when she would need an evening dress. In the end, Rey compromised by allowing the books she needed most to be divided and packed amongst the other trunks that would be brought and the rest could be sent for at a later time.

The next morning trunks were loaded onto Leia’s finest carriage before the sun had even risen and after a small breakfast, the entire party loaded themselves into the carriage, Luke and Leia on one side and Rey squished in next to Ben’s massive form on the other side. Rey kept her face glued to the window, watching as the sun rose and covered the countryside. The ground seemed to sparkle as those first rays hit the dew drops and Ben leaned in for a look himself. “It is lovely, is it not?”

Rey nodded, fighting the urge to jump out of the carriage, strip off her shoes and run through the wet grass herself. She thought that she would be able to move faster than the carriage anyway. “Can I walk?”

“Do not be foolish, dear. We will stop for the evening at the Calrissian’s manor in Reading. You can stretch your legs then,” Leia scolded as she worked at her needlepoint. Rey crossed her arms and pouted and both Ben and Luke had trouble hiding their amusement over the situation.

“Shall I read to you, then?” Ben suggested, taking a book out from inside his coat and opening it.

Rey nodded eagerly and made herself comfortable in her seat, drawing her legs up and folding them under her skirts. Ben was a very good reader and she enjoyed his deep voice more than she cared to admit. Even better, she could watch the landscape as she enjoyed whatever tale he’d brought along with him this time. 

As Ben cleared his throat, he began to tell the story of Renzo and Lucia, two lovers prevented from marriage by a tyrant who wanted Lucia for himself.

“Ben,” Leia warned as she set down her needlepoint to send a knowing glare at her son.

“This is hardly appropriate for Rey--” Luke began, but was shushed quickly by Rey.

“Shh,” she held her finger to her lips and glared at both Leia and Luke. “I want to know what happens next…”

Ben sent both his mother and his uncle a smug look as he continued reading the story, earning a running commentary from Rey as Lucia and Renzo are separated and try desperately to be reunited with one another. If Rey caught on to the cheekiness of Ben’s story choice, she said nothing but when her attention turned from the countryside to watching him read, it was clear that she was enjoying the Italian tale.

By the time the carriage pulled into the town of Reading, the tale was halfway over and Rey pouted as Ben closed the book. “I shall finish tomorrow, Little Bird,” he smiled, reaching over to pat her head.

“Or after dinner?” Rey asked eagerly as the carriage parted from town and slowly climbed a hill towards the Calrissian manor.

“Perhaps,” Ben smirked, trying to contain the pride he felt from making his little Omega so happy. Despite what Luke or his mother or anyone else thought, Rey was his and always would be. If she did not change her mind about marrying Luke, his feelings would not change either.

Rey seemed to take that as a yes and leaned back in her spot with a smile. Her attention returned to the countryside and as soon as they arrived at their resting point for the night, Rey was the first to climb out of the carriage. 

“Leia,” Lando Calrissian greeted, helping her from the carriage. He kissed her hand and smiled warmly. “You are as beautiful as ever.”

Luke hopped from the carriage next, pulling Lando’s hand away from his sister so that he could shake it heartily. “Han wanted me to tell you that just because he is not here, it is not consent to romance his lady.”

Lando laughed and pulled Luke into a hug. “It is so nice to see you, my friend.”

“Good to see you too, Lando,” Luke laughed, thumping his friend on the back.

Ben hopped from the carriage as well, going to Rey’s side and leaning down. “Are you prepared for an evening full of dull old tales?”

Rey snickered, “Believe it or not, I have suffered through many such evenings with my father when his friends called upon Pembrokeshire.”

“Hmm, yes, I recall that Old Ben enjoyed recalling his younger days with my grandfather,” Ben laughed.

Rey had heard many stories of Obi Wan and Anakin and she enjoyed them greatly, but she could admit that after the hundredth retelling, they were quite a bore. “I know what you mean.”

“Is that Benny?” Lando said, turning towards the younger pair. “And who is this lovely vision?”

“Uncle Lando,” Ben greeted rather informally. “I am sure you have heard the news of Luke’s betrothed?”

Lando raised an eyebrow as he closed in on Rey, lifting her hand to his lips the same way that he had done to Leia. After kissing her gloved hand he said, “Surely you cannot be serious in marrying that old goat.”

Ben snorted as Luke sputtered, “Watch your mouth, Lando.”

Lando shrugged in response, and winked at Rey as he offered his arm to lead her into the house. The rest of the party followed him inside of the house and Lando leaned close to Rey to whisper, “There must be men more interesting than Luke in London?”

Rey blushed and glanced over at Ben. Lando followed her line of vision and smiled, “Ah, those Solo men are heartbreakers.”

“I said nothing about Solo men!” Rey defended herself, looking away to hide the guilty blush. She was marrying Luke, not Ben, and even if there was a mutual attraction there, it was not meant to be. That was despite the fact that when she thought about Ben’s romantic words from two nights previously, her stomach erupted with butterflies. 

“You did not need to,” Lando winked again as he led his guests inside. “You all must be very tired. Take a rest before dinner.”

Rey hardly felt tired but was more than happy to wander around Lando’s manor until it was time to take her meal. In one hallway, she found a portrait painted of Han and Lando when they were younger. “Lando is one of my father’s oldest friends,” Ben spoke and Rey startled, not realizing that he had been following her. 

“Your father was very handsome when he was young,” Rey acknowledged as Ben came to stand at her side.

“Well, he did not marry my mother because he is smart,” Ben agreed and Rey snickered.

“So then you get your mind from your father’s side?” Rey teased.

“Keep talking like that and I will not finish the story.” He began to walk away but Rey trotted after him.

“You know I only tease, My Lord.” She caught his arm, looping hers through it as she walked along his side.

Ben smirked down at her, putting his hand atop hers and drawing his in closer, “Would you like a tour of the grounds, Little Bird?”

****

Lando had tea brought to the drawing room, knowing that Leia and Luke would no doubt be joining him shortly. Within a quarter of an hour, both of the twins joined him and Lando could almost laugh at how alike they were. “Tea?”

“Please,” Leia said politely as she seated herself across the small round table that Lando had set up near the windows.

Luke did not sit down right away, instead choosing to look out the window on to the grounds. Lando’s eyes followed his and he noticed what his old friend was watching: Rey and Ben walking arm in arm through the gardens. It was as obvious to him as it would be to the entire world that there was something going on between the son of his best friend and Luke’s betrothed. And yet, Luke did not behave like a man betrayed. “Those two should be more discreet in the company of others,” Lando pointed out.

Leia and Luke sighed in unison. Luke continued to watch the couple as Leia sipped at her tea, “I suppose this is my fault. I have tried keeping them apart and I foolishly got Luke involved.”

Lando poured some milk into his tea and gave it a good stir, “Perhaps it would be wiser to tell her the truth?”

Both Luke and Leia shared a look. “I want to give Ben the benefit of the doubt because he is my son, but all the same I do not trust him.”

“And you also do not trust Rey?” Lando asked, raising an eyebrow.

“She is just a girl,” Leia said. “I have tried to dissuade her from Benjamin, but she claims to know who he is.”

“Does she know who  _ she _ is?” Lando pressed. “Forget about Ben. Maybe if she understood who she was…”

“It is too soon,” Luke interrupted.

“Too soon for what?” Lando asked. “In case you have not noticed, she is a young Omega who is extremely attracted to an Alpha. Do you not think it is in her best interest to tell her before she ends up in heat and in his arms?”

“Lando!” Leia admonished, her face turning pink. “This is not appropriate for-”

He waved his hand, “Propriety will not matter when she is with child. She needs to know who she is and who  _ he _ is. Before it is too late.”

Leia bit her lip in worry and exchanged a look with Luke. After a long stretch of silence, Leia turned her attention to the window and watched as Ben plucked a white rose from a bush in the garden and placed it in Rey’s hair. Leia smiled bitterly, wishing that circumstances could be different as Rey beamed at her son and touched the flower softly. “I will tell her when we get to Pembrokeshire.”

*****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Full Dress" referred to the fancy dresses that ladies would wear to parties or concerts. "Half-dress" is like dressy casual. You would wear it out or to visit friends. "Undress" refers to simple dresses that a lady would wear at home or when having company over. So basically Rey would rather bring her books than her fancy clothes because she doesn't see the point of getting all dressed up to travel back home (whereas Leia and her maids would prioritize the fancy clothes on the off-chance that they end up being invited to a party or ball). Rey probably knows this and it's her way of saying "We aren't going to parties. We're going from point A to point B." XD
> 
> The book Ben reads to Rey is a real book. It's called "The Betrothed" by Alessandro Manzoni :)


	10. An Omega's Trust

Rey enjoyed her stay at the Calrissian manor as much as one could expect -- in truth, she was itching to go home and no amount of embarrassing tales of Han’s youth were enough to keep her mind occupied. She went to bed shortly after dinner in hopes that they would make an early start the following day.

As soon as they were on the road, Ben picked up his book and began reading again and Rey made herself comfortable as she welcomed the distraction he offered -- Ben’s voice was easy to listen to, even more soothing than Ben Kenobi’s had been. Getting lost in the story and losing track of time was easy when he was so good at building tension and every time the story grew intense, he would watch her from the corner of his eye, waiting for her gasps and incredulous cries.

The second night, they stayed at an inn in Swindon and Ben taught Rey how to play Whist while they sat at the fire after dinner. Together, they beat Luke and Leia five times before Leia stormed off in a huff, claiming that they had cheated.

On the final morning before they were to arrive in Bristol, Rey found herself in high spirits. In two days time, she would be back in Pembroke with her views of the ocean and forest and all of the things she had collected over the years and could call her own. There was a lightness in her heart that could only come from being surrounded by the things that she loved.

Rey cared deeply for Lady Leia and respected the older woman a great deal, but she was not interested in needlework or parties or fancy dresses. Unlike most of the ladies her age, she did not excel in the pianoforte nor did she have the patience for painting or sewing. She couldn’t even be considered clever, for everything she knew about the world, she learned from adventure or romance novels.

Rey was no fool -- she was well aware that a large part of the reason they were returning to Pembrokeshire in the middle of the season was to begin plans for her wedding. She personally did not care for a fancy affair and she doubted that Luke would either but Leia, it seemed, had different thoughts on the subject altogether.

“I would like to see church when we get there,” Leia announced when Ben had taken a break from reading to slice an apple for Rey -- the declaration had startled him so that he ran the knife into the flesh of his finger.

He hissed, moreso from the reminder of Rey’s impending wedding than from the pain, and Rey was quick to take his finger and hold her handkerchief over the wound. “We are more than two days out,” he reminded his mother.

“There is much planning to do,” Leia returned. “Certainly Rachel and Luke want to make quick work of the entire thing.”

Rey ignored Leia’s commentary, choosing to focus on Ben’s cut -- she dabbed the blood away as she fought the strange urge to put his finger in her mouth and sooth it with her tongue. She doubted very much that Ben would mind, but surely it would scandalize Luke and Leia, so instead she dabbed at it lightly with the handkerchief as Ben commented, “Perhaps you should ask Rey what she wants.”

“ _ Lady Rachel _ ,” Leia corrected her son, “would like a fast wedding so that she can enjoy a honeymoon with her new husband.”

Ben’s fist clenched, catching Rey’s fingers against his palm in the process, and he gritted his teeth as he answered, “And where shall they honeymoon? Luke is a wanderer with no home. Such a good provider for his new bride.”

The sarcasm dripping from Ben’s voice did not go unnoticed by Luke, who said, “Lady Rachel can stay at home. No need for anything extravagant.”

“Besides, Pembrokeshire will be Luke’s home from now on,” Leia pointed out.

“I see. So is it her home you are after, then?” Ben asked. “You forsake your own fortune only to steal someone else’s?”

“I have no interest in Pembrokeshire,” Luke returned, his voice calmer than Ben’s.

“Perhaps, Ben Kenobi would have wanted him to have it over me,” Rey spoke up for herself. Ben loosened his grip on Rey’s fingers and she gently lifted her handkerchief, peeking underneath to see if the blood had dried up.

“Rachel, I’m sure your father would have…” Leia began but Rey cut her off.

“He wasn’t really my father,” Rey commented softly, still tending to Ben’s wound as if she hadn’t just dropped a bombshell in the presence of an enemy.

Leia and Luke looked immediately towards Ben, but if he had any reaction at all, he didn’t show it. Instead, he watched as Rey finally removed the handkerchief. “Is it okay?”

“Unfortunately, it appears that you will live,” she teased as she refolded the square of fabric and tucked it away in her skirt.

Even more shocking to Luke and Leia, Ben simply finished cutting the apple and offered Rey the slices, which she eagerly munched on as Ben resumed reading to Rey. 

As Luke and Leia continued sharing looks with one another, it was clear that they had been expecting a bigger reaction on Ben’s part from Rey’s revelation and when their fervent whispering continued, Ben set aside the book and gave them both an exasperated look, “Is something the matter?”

“Relax,” Rey waved a dismissive hand at their older traveling companions. “I trust Ben.”

“That is foolish,” Luke scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

Beside her, she could feel Ben bristling and she asserted, “He would never hurt me.”

“What makes you so sure?” Luke pressed, leaning forward towards Rey. “He has hurt plenty of people.”

“He would not hurt me.” There was a finality to her voice as she turned to Ben, “Would you?”

“Never,” Ben agreed, his shoulders relaxing as he gave her a soft smile. “There are plenty of people I would like to hurt,” at this, his eyes darted to Luke before travelling back to Rey’s face, “but never you.”

“See?” Rey crossed her arms over her chest.

“You behave as though I was not already aware of her alleged parentage,” Ben snorted as he digs through the picnic basket for an apple. Rather than cutting it, he took a noisy bite and raised an eyebrow at his mother and uncle, daring them to deny the insinuation.

“What reason do you have to doubt it?” Leia snapped.

“For one, I knew Ben Kenobi enough to know he had no interest in the fairer sex,” Ben grinned. “And secondly, she bears a striking resemblance to her real father… Especially around the eyes.”

Luke narrowed his eyes. “You little…”

“Shall we talk about this later? Perhaps when we return to Pembroke?” Leia interrupted, looking sternly between her brother and her son.

Rey ignored both her chaperone and her betrothed and looked at Ben with wide eyes, “Do you know my real father?”

“I do, little bird.” He sent her a wink and she leaned closer, as if expecting him to tell her.

“That is enough,” Leia interjected. “We will not discuss this any further.”

Rey turned to Luke then, a desperate look on her face, “You promised you would tell me when the time is right.”

Ben scoffed next to her, “When the time is right to use you as a pawn.”

Luke narrowed his eyes at his nephew. “Do you not wish to do the same?”

Beside him, Rey voiced indignation on Ben’s behalf and he wondered what he had done to win over her confidence so completely. If only she knew of all the plans he’d been working on, she would never come to his defense. “I have heard quite enough,” she told Luke, her voice filled with an icy finality. “I have already told you that I trust Ben.”

“And I have told you that trust is foolishly misplaced,” Luke volleyed back, not bothering to look at Rey as he openly glared at his nephew.

“Is this what my marriage is to be?” Rey asked, crossing her arms over her chest. “You promised freedom and yet you disgrace me so easily?”

“You are conducting yourself in an ignorant manner,” Luke began. “All for a pair of pretty eyes.”

Ben rose to his feet, despite the cramped quarters, and ignored the pain when his skull crashed into the roof of the carriage, “You dishonor your bride-to-be.”

“Nobody knows dishonor as well as you,” Luke spat back.

“Enough,” Rey growled. “I would very much like to stop for a rest.”

When the carriage was pulled to a halt, Rey hopped from her seat and when everyone moved to follow, she sent them all a withering look, “I should like to take a walk. Alone.” Without even waiting for acquiescence, she lifted her skirts and stomped off over a sloping green hill before vanishing from sight.

Once she was no longer in the view, she blew out a puff of breath and kicked a rock so hard that it sent a bird flying from its hiding place in a bush. There was an annoyance bubbling up that made it hard to enjoy her stroll at a leisurely pace and her stomping through the woods was doing nothing more but upsetting the woodland creatures who had been going about their day peacefully.

To Rey, it hardly seemed fair that everyone knew more about her parentage than she herself did. She had known, for as long as she had been acquainted with him, that Luke knew who her birth parents were and had trusted that he would tell her when the time was right as he had promised. But she had grown into a woman, and if the time was not right now, then when would it be?

And then there was the matter of Ben, and as much as her heart soared that he had defended her honor, he had also let slip that he had known who her father was for perhaps as long as they had known each other. Not once had he even hinted to her that he knew and what reason did he have to keep it from her if not to use the information to his advantage?

Rey did not know who she could trust. Perhaps there was no one who was truly on her side and that startling realization made her knees give out under her as she collapsed pathetically onto the ground. 

Luke was a person she held in such high esteem -- he was the one who had saved her from the streets of Paris and brought her to the only home where she ever felt loved. He had written her letters detailing his travels and brought her sweets when he came to visit. But the seed of doubt had been planted in her mind by Ben and she could not help but feel like a pawn in some type of game in which she was an unwilling participant.

Then there was Ben, who she knew on instinct not to trust, and yet he had managed to break down walls and as much as Rey loathed to admit it, he was as close to a lover as she had ever had. Luke had blamed her affection towards Ben on his eyes, and while Rey would agree they were quite breathtaking, her feelings were much deeper than that. She knew Ben cared for her -- she had felt that much and it was undeniable to her -- but was it enough for him to forsake whatever other beliefs he held? She knew of his connections with Snoke and in turn, Snoke’s connections with King Palpatine. Could she trust him as ardently as she had claimed?

Rey did not know how much time passed as she sat crouched on the ground, her arms wound around her knees, but eventually, Leia came to collect her and Rey reluctantly followed her back to the carriage. Something had happened after she left -- Luke was sulking inside the carriage as Ben paced back and forth outside of it like a caged animal. When he offered his hand to help her inside, she turned her chin away and climbed in herself, not carrying how unladylike the gesture was.

Rey was  _ not _ a lady, and she would prove that, if need be.

The rest of the ride was silent. Ben did not offer to continue reading and Leia continued working on her needlepoint as Luke brooded. It made for a very uncomfortable carriage ride and by the time they arrived at The Skywalker manor in Bristol, the atmosphere was so tense that it was difficult to breathe.

As soon as the doors flung open, four figures leapt from the carriage -- Leia guiding Rey inside as Ben stormed off and Luke oversaw the removal of luggage from the carriage. Leia was everything a lady should be -- accommodating and patient as she led Rey to her room. “If you would like,” Leia began. “After you settle in, I can give you a tour of the house.”

Rey nodded stiffly in reply, trying to give Leia a small smile because she was perhaps the only member of their party that she didn’t have reason to be angry with. Besides that, this was Ben’s childhood home, and part of her was curious to gather as much information as she could about him. “Yes, please.”

Once Leia was gone, Rey relieved herself and took her time freshening up -- washing in her basin and changing into a fresh dress when her trunk was delivered. She had the maids undo and redo her chignon and then decided that she had delayed long enough and met Leia in the entrance for her tour.

The house was large, just as big as her home in Pembrokeshire but it was all plaster walls of creams and yellows and rounded marble beams: far more modern than Ben Kenobi’s dark wooden castle. Leia’s home was beautiful, but it was not cosy like Pembrokeshire. There were no grand staircases twisting up higher into darker, quieter floors -- no places to hide in dark corners or behind thick, dusty velvet curtains. The windows were less grand here, and the only views were manicured gardens and more marble fountains. She missed seeing the jagged cliffs and the fog rolling in from the ocean and the hillsides full of wandering sheep.

“Do you miss home terribly?” Leia asked when she noticed how bored Rey seemed.

Rey nodded and Leia gave her a sympathetic look, as if she knew something Rey did not and it made her stomach churn in worry. She knew that something enormous was coming, something that would change everything and not knowing what it was gnawed at her.

“How about I show you something more interesting?” Leia suggested and Rey followed her down the hall and into a brightly lit room. By the looks of it, it was an art room and Rey never felt knowledgeable enough to comment on art other than to say if she liked it or not. When Leia stopped in front of a painting, Rey looked up and couldn’t help the grin that stretched across her face.

The painting was of a younger Leia in a white dress, and standing atop her thighs, with his hand braced on her shoulder, was Ben. He couldn’t be any older than five and he wore a handsome red suit and had the  _ biggest _ ears that Rey had ever seen. She had to cover her mouth to hide her laugh and Leia grinned at her. “He was precious,” Leia announced with the kind of pride only a mother could have.

“Do you suppose his ears are still that large?” Rey laughed and from behind them, a voice cleared his throat.

“Why do you think I keep them covered?”

Rey turned to find Ben standing in the doorway, watching the ladies with thinly veiled amusement. “You look good in red,” she added, letting her eyes travel up and down his body, which was clad in its usual black.

He sent her a smirk and sauntered into the room and Rey should find it irritating how quickly a little banter brought him back into her good graces. Equally annoying was the fact that her anxiousness seemed to melt away in his presence. “Perhaps I shall wear red to your wedding.”

Rey wrinkled her nose, and turned back to the painting. That was right -- in a few weeks time she would be married to Luke and after everything he had said she wasn’t sure she even wanted to anymore. She no longer trusted that he would keep his promises to her. “If there is a wedding,” she commented coolly and Leia looked uneasy.

“Shall we see if dinner is ready?” Leia changed the subject, turning on her heel to lead them from the room.

Rey put one foot forward, ready to follow Leia when Ben caught her wrist, pulling her back towards him. She startled, looking up at him with wide eyes as he leaned down close to her ear, “Meet me here at midnight. I will tell you everything.”

He let go of her before Leia noticed their absence and stalked out of the room, leaving Rey to catch up with the pair. When they arrived in the parlor room, Luke was already seated and he eyed Rey and Ben’s entrance suspiciously. As Rey took her seat across from her betrothed, the atmosphere was thick and Rey had never seen Luke quite so angry. She knew that Ben was the cause behind the anger and that he did not want Rey near his nephew.

That much was confirmed when, after dinner, Ben had attempted to suggest that he read to Rey before bed and Luke insisted that she instead practice her needlework with Leia. And he again insisted that Leia accompany Rey to her room that evening.

Worst of all, when Rey crept out of her room at midnight to meet Ben in the gallery, Luke had pulled a chair into the hallway and sat reading a book. Whatever Ben was to tell her about her parentage, Luke did not want her to know. She crept back into her room before Luke was alerted to her presence and leaned against the door as she wondered who on earth her father could be that would cause Luke to act so distrustful towards her and his own nephew.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The painting of Leia and Ben is based on this one here:   
> [](https://imgbb.com/)


End file.
